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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24706876">Journeys of a Mercenary</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/MoSBanapple/pseuds/MoSBanapple'>MoSBanapple</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>RWBY</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Action, Action/Adventure, Adventure, Character Death, Depression, Family, Family Drama, Female Friendship, Female Protagonist, Flashbacks, Friendship, Gen, Mystery, Original Character(s), Orphans, POV Female Character, POV Third Person, Past Character Death, Personal Growth, Pre-Volume 1 (RWBY), Revenge, Robots, Sister-Sister Relationship, Swearing, Teaching</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-04-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 10:28:42</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>147,584</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24706876</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/MoSBanapple/pseuds/MoSBanapple</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>From across the continents and oceans of Remnant, from barren deserts and backwater villages to bustling cities and Grimm-infested ruins, the mercenary known as Mud has traveled through them all. This is the story of her journeys; the jobs she took, the places she went, and most importantly, the people she met along the way. All on her quest to find what she had lost long ago.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>22</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Two Parts Water, One Part Dirt</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"<em>Just give me a chance, let me go to Vale and - "</em></p><p>"<em>No! I will not have my daughter running off and getting herself killed at one of those schools! You will stay and you will learn a respectable job here in this village, and that's final."</em></p><p>"<em>But please, you don't understand - "</em></p><p>"<em>I think we understand perfectly. Our answer is still no, and we do not want to hear any more of it. Now clean up and go to your room."</em></p><p>
  <em>Footsteps. The sounds of dishes clinking against the bottom of the sink. A door slams shut. Fists pound against a bed, against the walls. Angry shouts, mutterings, and finally, a resigned sigh.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>A few hours later, in the dead of night, the bedroom door creaks open. Food is taken from the cupboards. A cache of Lien, tucked in an out-of-the-way drawer, is removed and placed in a backpack. A note, quickly scribbled in the dark, is placed on the kitchen table.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>That night, a girl named Aqua quietly fled the village of Clearwater, taking the path north towards the capital city of Vale.</em>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <strong>Arc 1</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Journey of a Student</strong>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <strong>Chapter 1: Two Parts Water, One Part Dirt</strong>
</p><p>
  <em>Crunch.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Crunch.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Crunch.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>SNAP!</em>
</p><p>Freshly-fallen autumn leaves and sticks broke beneath Aqua's boots as she trudged down the unpaved road, the butt of her spear hitting the ground rhythmically as she used her weapon like a walking stick. Trees adorned with leaves of red, brown, and orange lined the side of the road, extending into a forest reaching far beyond what Aqua could see. Both behind and ahead of her, there was nothing except road, no fellow travelers or towns in the distance. She continued to hike, moving forward step by step.</p><p>A few more steps out of the many it would take to get to Vale. A hundred thousand? A million? How long was it to Vale, anyways?</p><p><em>It's alright,</em> Aqua told herself, adjusting the pack on her back. <em>It's not like I'll have to walk the whole way. Maybe I can hitchhike with someone in the next town, get a ride to the capital.</em> She had been walking through the night and well into the morning, eager to get as far away from her home as she could before her parents realized that she was missing. Hopefully, she would be far enough away that her parents would have a hard time catching up to her. Hopefully, she would make it to Vale before they reached her. Hopefully, she'd pass the entrance exam, like she told them she would.</p><p>After all, a Huntress's job is killing Grimm, right? Piece of cake. If that's all it took to be a Huntress, she'd be one in no time.</p><p>Something gurgled. Turns out, it was Aqua's stomach.</p><p>"I guess it's lunchtime, huh," Aqua muttered, looking up at the sky. The Sun was high in the sky, though not quite straight overhead. <em>Close enough. </em>Moving to the side of the road, she set her spear against a nearby tree and put down her pack, taking from it a bit of the food she had taken from home: a roll of bread and a small bit of dried fish.</p><p>She was getting sick of fish.</p><p><em>Same old. </em>Aqua sat down and bit into the bread roll as she went over her supplies in her head. <em>I've got enough food for a few days, maybe a week. Next town, I can buy some more, but I also gotta find a place to stay... how much is a room in an inn again? Eh, I'll find some work to do along the way... every village has Grimm problems, right? Maybe I can earn some money by killing Grimm. That's what Huntresses make a living, right? Yeah, that'll be -</em></p><p>
  <strong>Bang!</strong>
</p><p>"Ah!" Aqua jumped back, dropping her food as a loud noise interrupted her thoughts. Looking up, she saw two people emerging from the trees on the opposite side of the road, each pointing a rifle at her. Both of them had black masks covering their faces, though Aqua could tell by their figures and hair that one was a woman and one was a man.</p><p>"That was a warning shot!" the man shouted. "Hand over your stuff and nobody gets hurt!"</p><p><em>Crap, are these bandits? </em>As Aqua slowly stood up, she glanced over at her spear, which was still resting nearby against a tree. <em>Are the roads really that unsafe? Oh, maybe this was a bad idea...</em></p><p>"I see that spear! Don't even think about it," the woman said, pointing her rifle at Aqua's weapon as she and her partner crossed the road towards Aqua. "If you make one move, I'll fill you with holes before you can even get to it. Now put your hands in the air."</p><p><em>How strong are those rifles? </em>Aqua thought, her heart racing. <em>Should I go for it? Can my aura take a lot of bullets? I've never had to fight a gun before! What if I - oh, screw it!</em></p><p>Aqua lunged for her spear. Gunfire trailed behind her, kicking up dirt and shattering tree bark as she grabbed her weapon and took cover behind a particularly thick tree. Her heart was pounding as she peered out, only to duck back behind the tree as a bullet whizzed by her head.</p><p>"Last chance! Drop the spear and come out, or - "</p><p>"Yah!" With a shout, Aqua leapt from behind the tree towards the two bandits. She felt bullets graze by, with one or two full-on impacting her body and causing her to wince. It hurt, and she didn't know how many more her aura could take. Ten more? One? She didn't want to find out. Stepping into spear range of the female bandit, she raised her weapon overhead.</p><p>"Take this!" Aqua slashed downwards as the female bandit attempted to block with her rifle. Aqua's attack powered through, knocking the rifle out of the bandit's hands and striking the bandit directly in the chest. Though her aura protected her, she stumbled back, and Aqua quickly brought her spear up for another strike, knocking the female bandit clear across the road, to the ground, and, Aqua hoped, out of the fight.</p><p><em>Alright! </em>Aqua thought, breathing hard. <em>One more -</em></p><p>
  <strong>CLUNK!</strong>
</p><p>Aqua's head exploded in pain as a heavy blow to the back of her skull sent her plummeting face-first towards the ground and caused her to lose her grip on her spear. As she regained her bearings, she tried to reach for her spear, only to see the male bandit's boot kick it across the road, way too far for her to reach</p><p>"All you had to do was hand over your things like a good little girl," the bandit said as Aqua turned and looked up, seeing the barrel of a rifle staring down toward her face. Her spear was too far, and her head was still reeling. "Now I gotta put you in the ground."</p><p>"Please don't!" Aqua raised her hands in front of her face, as if to try and block the bullets. She didn't know how much aura she had left. Probably not enough.</p><p>
  <strong>Bang! Bang! Bang!</strong>
</p><p>Aqua closed her eyes, but felt nothing, even after hearing several shots ring out. Taking a peek, she saw the male bandit stumble backwards, clutching his chest and dropping his rifle as he fell to the ground. A splotch of red appeared on his shirt.</p><p>"Ah!" Aqua scrambled onto her feet and ran over to her spear, picking it up and looking around. She saw no one except for the two bandits on the ground - and a figure down the road, in the direction she had come from. She raised her spear, her arms shaky as she pointed it towards the approaching figure.</p><p>"Calm down, I ain't gonna shoot ya!" The figure - a teenage girl, by the sound of her voice - shouted. As she came closer, Aqua saw a rifle in her hands, different from the ones the bandits had been using. Though she had no idea about the technical aspects of rifles, Aqua could see that this one was probably more expensive, with more attachments and gadgets attached. Coupled with her armored helmet and jacket, her large backpack, and the large pistol and various pouches by her belt, she looked more like a proper soldier than a bandit like the ones Aqua had just encountered, though she only looked about Aqua's age.</p><p>"S-sorry." Aqua lowered her spear, her body still shaking from the leftover adrenaline from the earlier encounter. "I'm just a bit on edge after, well, all that."</p><p>"Hmph." the soldier girl walked past her, towards the female bandit on the side of the road. "You knocked this one out?"</p><p>"I... think so?"</p><p>"Hm." The soldier girl knelt down over the female bandit, slapping her face a few times before nodding and rifling through the bandit's pockets. Aqua watched as the soldier girl stuffed ammo and money into her pockets before she moved onto the corpse of the male bandit to do the same. "You just gonna stand there, or you got anything to say?"</p><p>"Oh! Uh, thank you!" Aqua said, approaching the soldier girl as she looted the bandit's corpse. "I was in a bit of a bind there."</p><p>"I could see that," the soldier girl said, standing up and turning towards Aqua. "You got anything to eat? I'm starving."</p><p>"To eat? Uh..." Aqua remembered her pack and ran over to where she had left it. The food she was eating had dropped to the ground and gotten dirty, but she still had a decent amount in her pack. "I've got some bread and fish, if you're okay with that."</p><p>"Sounds good," the soldier girl said as Aqua ran back with her stuff. She took the offered food and began walking down the road, before stopping and looking at Aqua. "You coming? I wouldn't want to be around when that bandit wakes up."</p><p>"Oh! Yeah," Aqua replied, running to catch up with the soldier girl. "What should I call you, by the way?"</p><p>"Name's Mud," the girl said. "What's yours?"</p>
<hr/><p>"So you're a mercenary?" Aqua asked. Though they had already gotten quite far from where she had encountered the bandits, her mind and heart were still racing from the encounter. "You do jobs and things like that?"</p><p>"Yup." Mud chomped down on her last bit of fish. "Pays well."</p><p>"That's, uh, neat," Aqua said. "So, do I have to pay you for saving me or something?"</p><p>"Nah, the stuff I took from the bandits was enough payment," Mud said. Aqua remembered the male bandit's corpse, and how Mud had looted it, and cringed slightly. Mud looked at her. "What's the matter? You still on edge?"</p><p>"Ah! Kind of. Just my first time with bandits, is all." Aqua didn't mention it was also her first time seeing a bloodied corpse like that.</p><p>"Well, from what I saw, you did pretty decently," Mud said. "Takes a bit of guts for a merchant to travel by themselves, 'specially one as young as you are."</p><p>"You look about the same age..." Aqua muttered. "And also, I'm not a merchant."</p><p>"Oh? Huh. People on the road usually are. Figured you got goods in your bag you're looking to sell."</p><p>"I'm, uh..." Aqua paused. "I'm going to Vale to take the Beacon entrance exam. I'm gonna be a Huntress."</p><p>"Really." Mud stopped and looked at Aqua. "You?"</p><p>"Uh... is something wrong with that?" Aqua asked.</p><p>"I take it back," Mud said. "You did horribly."</p><p>"What?" Aqua exclaimed. "I did the best I could! That guy just got the drop on me, and, well..."</p><p>"And what? I saw your fight from down the road, and from what I can tell, you're no better than any random kid with a bit of aura swinging around a spear like it's their first week with a weapon. Alright, maybe a little better than that, but still, you suck."</p><p>"I - I knocked out that one bandit!"</p><p>"And the other one would've killed you if I hadn't come along," Mud said. "I've met a lot of Huntsmen and a lot of students training to be Huntsmen, and you know what they all had in common? They probably could have taken on two random bandits without breaking a sweat. At least, they'd do better than you did."</p><p>"Well, that doesn't matter!" Aqua said. "Aren't Huntsmen just supposed to fight Grimm? I'm good at that!"</p><p>"Wow," Mud said. "You really think you can get into Beacon just off 'I kill Grimm good, let me in'? Might as well just head back to wherever you came from and be useful there as a village guard or something, cause you sure as hell ain't getting into Beacon."</p><p>"I'm not going back," Aqua said, gritting her teeth. "And I don't need the approval of some random mercenary from wherever! I'm heading to Vale, I'm taking that entrance exam, and I'm gonna get into Beacon."</p><p>"You know what? How about we play a game," Mud said, reaching into her pocket and pulling out a stack of Lien cards. "I've got enough Lien to take you to Vale, get you into the exam, and get you a place to stay in Vale until Beacon lets you into their dorms. If you win, it's all yours, and I'll even escort you personally to Vale - though I doubt you'll need it, little miss Huntress."</p><p>"Well, aren't you sounding arrogant," Aqua said. "And if I lose?"</p><p>"You pack up, go home, and forget about getting into Beacon this year, cause you sure as hell won't be passing Beacon's entrance exam based on what I saw."</p><p>"And what's the game?"</p><p>"Simple." Mud stepped further down the road, about a dozen meters from where Aqua was standing. "You land a hit on me, you win. I take you down, you lose. Think of me as your early entrance exam - if you can't beat me, you ain't beating the test to get into Beacon."</p><p>"Sounds good to me." Aqua smirked, throwing her pack on the ground and raising her spear. "When do we start?"</p><p>"Now."</p><p>"Perfect!" Aqua dashed forward, looking to close the distance before Mud could make a move. <em>All I have to do is hit her once and I get a free ride to Vale! She hasn't even moved or raised her rifle, this should be -</em></p><p>A sudden impact hit Aqua's stomach as she stumbled back, reeling in pain. She looked up to see Mud had drawn her pistol from her waist, smoke pouring out of the barrel. Aqua regained her footing and charged forward again, feeling the sting of another bullet pinging off her aura. She ignored the pain.</p><p>She just needed one hit.</p><p>"You're mine!" Aqua shouted as she got close enough to hit Mud with her spear. She slashed horizontally, but Mud stepped back, allowing the spear to sail through the air. Another slash, this time overhead, produced similar results as Mud sidestepped.</p><p>Mud smirked. Aqua grit her teeth.</p><p><em>Just one hit!</em> Drawing her spear back once more, Aqua aimed a stab directly at Mud's chest. Instead of dodging again, Mud batted the spear away with her forearm, letting it slip by her side as she grabbed the spear's shaft. She pulled, hard.</p><p>Aqua suddenly stumbled forward, pulled off balance as Mud ripped Aqua's spear from her hands.</p><p><em>Damn! </em>Now weaponless, Aqua threw a wild haymaker towards Mud's face, only for her to duck down and knock Aqua's legs out from under her with a sweeping kick. Before Aqua's face could even hit the dirt, she felt something strike her back, knocking the breath from her lungs as she bounced against the ground. A shimmer washed over her body as she felt her aura give out, leaving her defenseless.</p><p>"You lose."</p><p>
  <strong>BANG!</strong>
</p><p>The dirt exploded in front of Aqua. She lay there, dazed, for a few seconds. Finally, she let out a breath she didn't know she was holding and looked up to see the barrel of Mud's pistol inches from her face, smoking like before.</p><p>"So," Mud said, holstering her weapon. "time for you to head back to wherever you're from. Where is that, by the way? If I'm feeling up to it, maybe I'll take you there."</p><p>"That's not fair!" Aqua shouted as she stood up. "You... you... you cheated!"</p><p>"Really?" Mud smirked. "Well, if you think so, we can do this again. The outcome's not gonna change, though."</p><p>"I..." Aqua began to say, then stopped to process what had happened. No, Mud hadn't cheated. She had beaten and utterly destroyed Aqua, fair and square, without Aqua even landing a hit. If what Mud said was true, that meant Aqua had no chance of getting into Beacon as she was now.</p><p>But that meant she had to return home.</p><p>"I... just wanted to leave," Aqua said, looking down at her feet before looking up at Mud. "I just wanted to get away! Is it a crime to be tired of the same thing every day? I want to be a Huntress! I want to see the world! I want to fight Grimm and protect people! Is that so wrong?!"</p><p>Mud didn't reply. Not at first. She turned, looked down the road, facing away from Aqua. Then, after what felt like a minute but was probably just a few moments later, she turned to face Aqua. "Nah, I guess if that's your reason for wanting to be a Huntress, that's not wrong. But that doesn't change the fact that you suck, and that you're not gonna get into Beacon the way you are."</p><p>Aqua nodded. "So..."</p><p>"Hm." Mud paused again. Looked up. "So I won't force you to go back. But I'm not gonna give you that free ride to Vale, and you're not taking the entrance exam. Not yet, anyways."</p><p>"Huh?"</p><p>"As it so happens, I'm heading up north towards Vale, like you are," Mud explained. "Travel with me, and I'll give you a bit of training. If I think you're ready by the time we get there, I'll help you get set up for the entrance exam, and maybe even get you set up someplace in Vale, since you clearly don't wanna go back home."</p><p>"You'd do that? That sounds - "</p><p>"Not yet," Mud interrupted. "I said I'm not giving you a free ride, and I'm not. You're gonna be helping me on a few jobs along the way. And if you happen to get in my way or drag me down, I'll personally drag you back to wherever you came from. Got that?"</p><p>"I... alright," Aqua said. It was an unexpected arrangement, but not really a bad one, and better than going back home. "I can work with that. But why are - "</p><p>"Good," Mud interrupted, picking Aqua's spear off the ground and holding it out towards her. "Now come on, we gotta get to town before sundown. You got any more fish?"</p><p>"Uh, yeah..." Aqua took the spear and grabbed another piece of dried fish, handing it over to Mud. Then, the two set off down the road together, Aqua contemplating her newfound arrangement.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Welcome to my first RWBY fanfiction story! After bouncing around ideas in my head and going through many different story iterations over the past few years, I'm excited to get this story out of my head and onto the internet. I will likely be posting chapters weekly both here and on fanfiction.net, so please stay tuned for the next one. Thanks for reading, and have a nice day!</p><p>Also, thanks to Penrost for proofreading and giving helpful feedback for this chapter and future chapters.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. If You Can Dodge A Bullet...</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>Holding her breath, Aqua dived off the boat, spear gripped tightly in her hands as she plunged into the sea. The murky waters of Clearwater Bay limited her visibility, and the three dark shapes she had seen approach just a second ago seemed to disappear into the dark depths of the ocean. The large, shark-like Gnashers approached the human floating under the ocean's surface, and Aqua was all but blind to the oncoming threat.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>But she didn't need to see.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>As one Gnasher shot forward, intent on ripping out a chunk of Aqua's body, she immediately flew to the side, her eyes not even focused on the Grimm as she dodged the attack. She raised a hand as it passed and the Gnasher suddenly stopped. It writhed frantically, but it was as if the ocean itself had caught it, holding the Gnasher in its grasp and preventing it from moving. Another Gnasher approached, hoping that the target's focus on its brethren would allow it to strike a killing bite.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Aqua swung her hand around and the Gnasher she was holding in place shot toward the oncoming Gnasher, crashing into it and sending both away. Raising her spear, she hurled it toward both of the Gnashers. It hurtled through the water at an unnatural speed, piercing through both of the Grimm and leaving their corpses to dissolve in the water. Meanwhile, the third Gnasher had circled around, using the other two as a distraction while it struck at Aqua's exposed back, looking to land an attack that its siblings failed to do. This Gnasher was larger, stronger, and most importantly, smarter than its siblings.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>It didn't matter. The ocean was Aqua's domain.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>A current pulled Aqua downwards, narrowly avoiding the Gnasher's bite and exposing its unarmored belly. She held her hand out, and the spear she had thrown suddenly pulled itself into Aqua's open hand. Gripping her spear tightly, Aqua jetted upwards, stabbing into the Gnasher's stomach with the force of several tons of ocean current behind her. She carried herself and the Gnasher out of the water, breaking the surface and leaping into the air with the shark-like Grimm roaring its death cries on the shaft of her spear.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>By the time Aqua landed back on the boat, the Gnasher had dissolved into nothing.</em>
</p>
<p>"<em>Any more?" Aqua asked herself, reaching over the side of the boat and dipping her hand in the water. She felt no more Grimm nearby, only fish swimming through the area she had just fought in. Further away, she spied something floating on the water. Maybe an approaching Grimm? Aqua squinted, trying to get a better look.</em></p>
<p>
  <em>It wasn't a creature of Grimm, but rather a person clinging onto a piece of floating driftwood.</em>
</p><hr/>
<p>
  <strong>Chapter 2: If You Can Dodge A Bullet...</strong>
</p>
<p>"...ake up."</p>
<p>
  <em>Urgh...</em>
</p>
<p>"Come on kid, get up."</p>
<p>"Just five more - Ow!" Aqua exclaimed as she felt something whack her shoulder. Looking up, she saw Mud standing over her bed. <em>Oh right, I ran off to go to Beacon... and she's gonna train me. Hopefully.</em></p>
<p>"Alright, you're awake," Mud said, a smile on her face. She was already fully outfitted with all the weapons, armor, and gear she had on her when they first met. "Get up and get ready. We're starting your training right away."</p>
<p>"What... what time is it? Can we get breakfast first?" Aqua asked, sorting out the previous day's events in her head. After Mud agreed to help train Aqua, they had walked for a few more hours until they reached Timberlane, a small logging village surrounded by forest. After finding a local inn and grabbing dinner, Mud forced Aqua to go to bed early. Due to being dead tired from the traveling and fighting she had gone through, she had obliged.</p>
<p>"It's six o'clock in the morning," Mud said. "Grab your stuff and let's go. We'll catch breakfast later."</p>
<p>"Fine..." Aqua muttered, rolling out of bed and grabbing her spear and pack. She followed Mud out of the room, down the stairs, out of the inn, and to the edge of town. Though the sun had just risen over the horizon, the air was still chilly from the prior night, and the forest around the town still blocked out most of the sunlight.</p>
<p>"Alright kid, first lesson for being a Huntress," Mud explained as they walked past the town's border into the forest. "Well, it's not really for being a Huntress, just if you end up doing stuff where you fight a lot. Always be ready for anything, anytime. That means you gotta be able to roll out of bed and into a fight in just a few seconds, without any breakfast or anything like that."</p>
<p>"Is that why you woke me up early and dragged me out here?" Aqua asked.</p>
<p>"Eh, kinda." Mud shrugged. "I woke up early, and I didn't want to wait for you to wake up, so I didn't. I figured I could make that into a lesson, somehow."</p>
<p>"Wait, you just came up with that on the spot?" Aqua asked. "Are you sure you know how to teach me to become a Huntress?"</p>
<p>"Trust me, I got this," Mud assured her. "Besides, when I started training, I had to run drills before the sun even came up. Maybe I'm being lenient on you, but I'll let you slide for now."</p>
<p>"Well, I guess I shouldn't complain then," Aqua grumbled. "But still, do we - "</p>
<p>"Alright, this spot looks good," Mud interrupted, leading Aqua into a large clearing in the forest. They had made a bit of distance from the town, close enough to where Aqua could still see the walls through the trees, but just barely. Mud found a fallen log and sat down. "Come on kid, I wanna ask you a few questions before we get started."</p>
<p>"Uh, alright." Aqua sat down next to her. "What do you want to know?"</p>
<p>"Just want a good estimation of how good you are right now. Well, I know you're below Beacon level, but I wanna get more specific than that," Mud explained. "First thing: where'd you learn to fight?"</p>
<p>"I... taught myself," Aqua said. "Clearwater didn't have any combat schools or Huntsmen hanging around, so when I picked up the spear, I had to teach myself."</p>
<p>"That explains a lot."</p>
<p>"Hey! What's that supposed to mean?"</p>
<p>"Moving on, you ever fought anything besides Grimm?" Mud asked.</p>
<p>"Uh... I fought those bandits?" Aqua said. "Also you."</p>
<p>"And you saw how that went," Mud said. "So you've been spending about... how many years? Just fighting Grimm? Not even a spar?"</p>
<p>"Well, when I'm not around, everyone usually uses things like harpoon guns to protect themselves while they're out on the water," Aqua explained. "Plus, we don't usually get attacked from land, and if we do, some guard on the village wall with a rifle is usually enough to take care of that. So we don't really have any skilled fighters in the village. Sometimes a Huntress or mercenary or someone would stop by the village, and I'd maybe get to talk with some of them... but none stayed for long. Nothing really to do in Clearwater other than fish."</p>
<p>"So what? Did you just kill Grimm by running them down and whacking them with your spear?" Mud asked. "Cause that's what I saw you do with the bandits and with me, and you saw how that went."</p>
<p>"It's not usually like that!" Aqua exclaimed. "It's just, well, Clearwater is a fishing village, so most of my fights were in the water against Gnashers that went after the fishing boats. I could use my semblance there, but on dry land... well, you saw how I was."</p>
<p>"Your semblance?" Mud asked. "What, does it make you a good swimmer or something?"</p>
<p>"Uh, among other things. It'll probably be easier if I just show you." Aqua grabbed a canteen from her pack and unscrewed the cap, pouring the water inside it over her arm. Instead of running down her arm and dripping down into the soil below, the water wrapped around her arm, suspended in the air by some unseen force.</p>
<p>"Huh." Mud poked the water gathered around Aqua's arm. "So you can control water."</p>
<p>"Only if it's directly touching me," Aqua explained, forming the water into a thin tendril and using it to lift the canteen into the air. "For example, I can't control the water that's still inside my canteen unless I stick my finger inside. It's like my body and aura are extending into the water, letting me control and feel through it like it's another limb or something. That's my semblance."</p>
<p>"I get it," Mud said. "It all makes sense now. That's why you think you're some big-shot Huntress-worthy kid who's gonna blow her way past the Beacon exam, yet you're shit enough that a couple of bandits can get the jump on you."</p>
<p>"What?!" Aqua exclaimed. "I'm not that bad!"</p>
<p>"Maybe you're not. Maybe when you're in water, with that semblance of yours, for all I know you're the best goddamn Huntress-wannabe on Remnant." Mud stood up and looked down at Aqua. "But on land, you're shit outta water and all you know how to do is swing your spear and get shot. Tell me, how much did you rely on your crazy water magic back home?"</p>
<p>"I..." Aqua thought back to the numerous fights she had against the aquatic Grimm in Clearwater Bay. "A lot. A lot, okay? You're right, maybe I did rely on it too much."</p>
<p>"Well, I hate to inform you, but most people live on land, if you haven't noticed," Mud explained. "And that means you'll be fighting land-based Grimm on solid land, and chances are there's not gonna be a river or lake nearby."</p>
<p>"I guess that's true..."</p>
<p>"Hm." Mud paused, rubbing her chin. "Alright, I've decided. I dunno how well this'll go, but I think I've got a good idea about what you should improve before you even think about tackling Beacon, and I'm gonna help you along with it."</p>
<p>"What is it?" Aqua asked.</p>
<p>"From where I'm standing, you've got two, maybe three big problems, and unless you figure those out, you aren't passing that entrance exam," Mud explained. "First thing: you suck at fighting without your semblance, and you can only really use your semblance out in the ocean."</p>
<p>"Yeah, we kinda just went over that."</p>
<p>"Yes we did. Moving on." Mud held up her pistol. "You ever used one of these?"</p>
<p>"A pistol?" Aqua asked.</p>
<p>"Any gun," Mud clarified. "Rifle, pistol, shotgun, BB gun, whatever."</p>
<p>"Not really. Like I said, some of the village guards and fishermen carried firearms to fend off Grimm attacks, but I always used my spear."</p>
<p>"Figures," Mud muttered, digging through her pockets before taking out a green crystal, about the size of an egg. "What about this?"</p>
<p>"That's uh... Dust?" Aqua replied.</p>
<p>"You know how to use it?" Mud asked.</p>
<p>"For fighting? Not really. We had a bit stored around the house to power appliances and such, but nothing other than that."</p>
<p>"Alright, well here's the thing," Mud said, putting both the pistol and Dust crystal away. "Guns are probably the most common weapon on Remnant. Easy for any random guard, bandit, or mercenary to pick up and shoot. And any competent Huntress-wannabe knows how to use Dust to help them fight. If you go into that entrance exam not knowing shit about either, well, they'll kick your ass out before you can even show off your combat skills."</p>
<p>"Really?" Aqua asked.</p>
<p>"Well, I can't be completely sure, but considering nearly every Huntsman and student I've come across uses guns, Dust, or both, so you're better off knowing this stuff and how to deal with anyone that uses them," Mud said. "Which leads me into my third point: you suck at fighting people."</p>
<p>"Well, aren't Huntsmen supposed to fight Grimm?" Aqua asked. "I know I didn't do too well fighting you or those bandits, but if I'm good at fighting Grimm, shouldn't that help me at least get into Beacon?"</p>
<p>"You think Grimm are the only thing that Huntsmen protect people from? Huntsmen vow to 'protect the people of Remnant from evil' or some shit like that, I dunno. That includes other people," Mud said. "You remember those bandits? One time, I worked a job in Mistral alongside a Huntsman, and that job was taking down a group of bandits just like them that was ambushing travelers between cities and looting caravans. Real pieces of shit; I wanted to shoot them, but he wanted them alive, and he was running the operation. Point is, you gotta learn how to fight people, not just Grimm, or else you're gonna end up riddled with bullets cause you didn't know how to deal with some schmuck with a gun, or on the ground with a sword to your neck cause some guy knows how to fight a kid who's strategy consists of bull-rushing the opponent and swinging her spear wildly. That might work on the Grimm, but anyone with a bit of combat experience is gonna put you in the ground."</p>
<p>"Alright, so I suck at fighting without my semblance, I'm stupid, and I don't know how to fight people," Aqua said. "Are you done pointing out how incompetent I am, or do you have more to say?"</p>
<p>"Oh, I could go on," Mud replied with a grin. "But let's focus on those three for now, cause if you fix those, you may have a chance of getting into Beacon. Now get up, I wanna run some exercises with you."</p>
<p>"Are you gonna make me do push-ups and run laps around the village?" Aqua asked, pushing herself up. "I heard that's what they do in the army."</p>
<p>"Something like that," Mud said. "I did a lot of that way back. Still do sometimes, if I need a wake-me-up."</p>
<p>"Way back when?" Aqua asked. "How old are you, anyways?"</p>
<p>"Older than you, kid," Mud answered. Aqua was still skeptical, considering that she looked like she could have been in the same class as her at school. "Anyways, straight-up exercise won't help you too much considering you're in-shape enough to fight Grimm on the regular, so we're gonna play a game."</p>
<p>"Am I gonna have to try and land a hit on you again?" Aqua asked.</p>
<p>"Not unless you want the shit beat out of you again," Mud replied. "Here's the gist of it: I'm gonna go to the other side of the clearing. When I get there, you're gonna run across to me and try to touch me."</p>
<p>"That's it?"</p>
<p>"I ain't finished," Mud said, raising her pistol. "I'm gonna shoot you while you run, and if I hit you, you go back to the start."</p>
<p>"You're gonna shoot me?!" Aqua exclaimed.</p>
<p>"Calm down, they're not real bullets," Mud explained, reaching into her pocket and showing Aqua a pink bullet with a soft tip. "They're rubber. Ain't lethal, but they still sting like a bitch and leave a nasty bruise if they catch you without aura. You should ready up, cause we're starting now."</p>
<p>"Alright..." Aqua grabbed her spear as Mud ran to the other side of the clearing. It was about a hundred, maybe a hundred fifty meters across by her estimate. Aqua's semblance wasn't speed or anything, but all the swimming she did had made her entire body strong, including her legs. Mud wouldn't be able to get off more than a few shots before she closed the distance.</p>
<p>"Show me what you got!" Mud shouted across the clearing. Aqua sprinted forward, looking to close the distance before -</p>
<p>
  <em> <strong>Thwack!</strong> </em>
</p>
<p>"Ow!" Aqua exclaimed as pain erupted from her shin, causing her to trip and fall no more than five steps from her starting position. She pushed herself up, wincing as she rubbed her leg.</p>
<p>"You paying attention or what?!" Mud shouted across the clearing. "Back to the start, and actually try to dodge this time!"</p>
<p>"I was - ugh, fine," Aqua grumbled, stepping back to where she had started. When she reached her starting position, she suddenly turned and began sprinting towards Mud, hoping to catch her off guard and -</p>
<p>
  <em> <strong>Thwack!</strong> </em>
</p>
<p>"Again!" Mud shouted as another rubber bullet impacted Aqua's shoulder, causing her to stumble back. She brought a hand up to her shoulder, groaning as she rubbed it to soothe the pain. Aqua sighed as she made her way back to her starting position.</p>
<p>This was going to be a long training session.</p><hr/>
<p>"Ow."</p>
<p>"Damn, you sucked."</p>
<p>An hour and several dozen rubber bullets later, Aqua was sitting back down on the log, rubbing her skin to ease the pain wherever Mud had shot her - which consisted of pretty much her entire body, though Mud had been kind enough to avoid her face. At least she had that going for her.</p>
<p>"Hey, at least your aura'll stop the bruising," Mud said. "Can't remember how many bruises I got doing this. But wow, you didn't even make it a quarter of the way."</p>
<p>"I would've made it farther if you would miss for once," Aqua muttered. Nearly every time she tried to reach Mud, a bullet would hit her body straight out of the gate, almost never giving her a chance to go further than a few steps.</p>
<p>"Well, there's your problem," Mud said. "I don't miss."</p>
<p>"You sure don't."</p>
<p>"You remember fighting the bandits? And fighting me? Tell me, what'd you do?"</p>
<p>"I..."</p>
<p>"You jumped in and ran forward without a care in the world beyond 'I gotta get close to the other guy'," Mud interrupted. "Thing is, you can't just run at the other guy and hope he'll miss, cause when he doesn't, and he probably won't, that's a chunk off your aura and a chunk closer to your aura cutting out and you taking a bullet through the skull."</p>
<p>"So what am I supposed to do?" Aqua asked. "I don't have a gun, so I need to get close somehow."</p>
<p>"Hm." Mud thought for a bit, then tossed her pistol to Aqua. "Here, take this. Easy to use, just point and pull the trigger."</p>
<p>"Huh?" Aqua took the pistol, fumbling around with the pistol as she watched Mud run off into the clearing. As she reached the other side, she turned around.</p>
<p>"Alright, take your best shot!" Mud shouted, suddenly sprinting forward. Without thinking, Aqua pointed the pistol at the quickly-approaching Mud, pulling the trigger. Mud pulled to the side, avoiding the bullet before continuing forward.</p>
<p>"Dang!" Aqua said through grit teeth, firing off four more shots. <em>Bang, bang, bang, bang.</em> Mud dodged out of the way of every shot, each time moving just enough so that the bullet would fly by.</p>
<p>"Come on, this is easy!" Mud shouted. Aqua squeezed the trigger once again, but was met with only an empty clicking before Mud suddenly appeared before her, snatching the pistol from her hands. "And that's how it's done!"</p>
<p>"I - I ran out of ammo!" Aqua complained. "Wait, you knew!"</p>
<p>"Yup! So what'd we learn?" Mud asked, loading a new clip into the pistol. "Come on, tell me."</p>
<p>"Guns, uh... run out of ammo?" Aqua said. "They need to reload?"</p>
<p>"Right. If you can figure out when the other guy needs to reload, you can hide or dodge while they try to shoot you and close the distance when they reload."</p>
<p>"But that doesn't explain how you dodged those shots in the first place," Aqua said. "How'd you do that? It was like you could... see the bullets coming, or something."</p>
<p>""I just saw where you were aiming and dodged when I thought you'd try to shoot. It's easier said than done, but works a lot better than bull-rushing ahead and taking a dozen bullets to the face," Mud explained. "More experienced Huntsmen and Huntresses can straight-up dodge a bullet in flight or swat it out of the air, but you aren't anywhere near that level yet."</p>
<p>"That sounds hard..."</p>
<p>"It gets easier with experience. Just watch where they're aiming and try to get a rhythm about when they'll shoot. Also, try to use cover, or find some alternate approaches," Mud suggested. "Like the forest around us? Great place to fight some schmuck with a gun. You could dash from tree to tree for cover, or get the jump on the guy from the treetops above. Anything to keep the 'getting shot at' time on the low."</p>
<p>"I'll try to remember that," Aqua said. Suddenly, her stomach rumbled. "Can we get something to eat? I'm starving."</p>
<p>"I guess we can," Mud replied. "Come on, grab your stuff and let's head back to town."</p>
<p>"Finally."</p>
<p>Her body still aching, Aqua grabbed her stuff and followed Mud as they made their way back to town.</p><hr/>
<p>After getting back to the inn, the two had decided to order breakfast in the inn's diner. Aqua was starving and exhausted, so she dug in as soon as her food arrived.</p>
<p>"By the way, we're taking a job today."</p>
<p>"A job? Already?"</p>
<p>"What, did you expect me to pelt you with rubber bullets all day?" Mud asked through a mouthful of eggs and potatoes. "As much as I'd like to, I gotta earn a living, and you gotta earn my training. I checked some local postings last night while you were conked out in bed and managed to find us a job. It's an easy one, perfect for you."</p>
<p>"Okay?" Aqua tried to figure out if that last part was an insult as she chewed through a bite of her omelete. "So what's the job?"</p>
<p>"Simple job. There's a truck making a supply run up to Palebrook," Mud explained. "They're looking for someone to guard their shit, so that's what we're gonna do."</p>
<p>"Palebrook?" Aqua asked. "Where's that?"</p>
<p>"About six or so hours up North, by the foot of Brack Mountain. Nice place. Most of the industry's based on mining in the mountains, though I think they also get a bit by fishing from the river running through town."</p>
<p>"Ugh, more fishing," Aqua groaned.</p>
<p>"Hey, I ain't looking to take a fishing job either," Mud said as she cleaned her plate, washing down her breakfast by chugging a glass of milk. "But it's a larger place than here, so maybe we could find some better jobs. Maybe you could even learn something while we're out there."</p>
<p>"I guess..." Aqua said, finishing up her omelete quickly to catch up with Mud. "So when are we meeting with whoever hired us?"</p>
<p>"We're supposed to meet the guy at half past noon by the north exit of the village," Mud said. "And it's nine right now, so if we pick up lunch around noon, that'll leave us nearly three hours. You up to getting shot at some more?"</p>
<p>"Do I have a choice?"</p>
<p>"Ha! Nah, you don't. Come on, let's go."</p><hr/>
<p>If one were to take a close look at Timberlane's protective walls, they would notice that they are very well constructed. Made from lumber taken from the surrounding forests, the walls were shaped and put into place by the village's various skilled craftsmen and woodworkers, ensuring that any land-based Grimm would have a very difficult time breaking through or scaling the wall to reach the citizens inside. Small watchtowers were even built into the wall every hundred meters or so, ensuring that guards placed at the wall would have a full view to spot and shoot at incoming Grimm.</p>
<p>Aqua, who was leaning against that wall by the northern exit of the town at the moment, was too tired and sore to observe any of this.</p>
<p>"Ow." Aqua poked at a bruise that had formed on her thigh, one of the many places where a rubber bullet had struck during her training session with Mud. She had been hit so many times that some of the bullets made it through her aura, hitting her bare skin directly. "Ah, it still stings..."</p>
<p>"Eh, get over it. At least you're lucky enough to have aura to heal your body; that bruise'll be gone by tomorrow morning, or maybe even tonight," Mud said. "But hey, you're getting a little better. Almost made it halfway."</p>
<p>"Sure didn't feel like I was getting better..." Aqua said. "Kinda felt like you were going easy on me."</p>
<p>"Damn, you got me." Mud chuckled. "Didn't wanna waste all my rubber bullets in one day. They're cheap, but they ain't free. Plus, figured a little bit of progress would keep you from feeling down."</p>
<p>"Yeah, well now that you've told me..."</p>
<p>"Hey!"</p>
<p>"Huh?" Aqua looked up to see a man approaching the two.</p>
<p>"You Clark Oaken?" Mud asked.</p>
<p>"The one and only," the man replied. "I'm guessing you're Mud?"</p>
<p>"Good guess," Mud said, extending her hand. "Thanks for hiring us."</p>
<p>"I should be thanking you. I can't get my usual escort up to Palebrook this time, so I was worried that I'd have to make this supply run without any protection," Clark said, shaking Mud's hand before looking over at Aqua. "But you said 'us'... is your friend also coming along? I can carry you both, but I'm afraid I can't pay for another escort."</p>
<p>"Uh, no!" Aqua exclaimed. "I'm just, uh..."</p>
<p>"She's my student. We're traveling up to Vale," Mud explained. "Don't worry, we ain't asking for more than the original payment."</p>
<p>"That's good to hear," Clark said. "I'm assuming that she can help fight off the Grimm, then?"</p>
<p>"I can fight, sir," Aqua said. "But what did you say about not being able to get your usual guard? Is something wrong?"</p>
<p>"Well, usually my supply runs up to Palebrook are scheduled in advance, and I can get some of the town's guard to come down and escort me up," Clark explained. "But from what I heard, supply storehouses in Palebrook were recently broken into by bandits, so they asked me to make an emergency run up there. Not enough time to schedule a proper escort."</p>
<p>"Yeah, that's unfortunate," Mud said. "Now, where's the truck?"</p>
<p>"Just down the road, I'll show you."</p><hr/>
<p>Aqua's hair blew in the wind as she looked out to the side of the road, watching as the trees passed quickly by. They had been on the road for several hours now; Clark was in the front driving a pickup truck, while Mud and Aqua were in a large open trailer being hauled behind the pickup truck, sitting among stacked crates of food, Dust, and equipment that Aqua didn't recognize.</p>
<p>"You paying attention or what?"</p>
<p>"Huh?" Aqua turned back towards Mud. "Sorry, I got distracted. Sun's almost down."</p>
<p>"Well, don't get distracted, cause otherwise this information's gonna fly through one ear and out the other," Mud said, holding up a red crystal for Aqua to see. "I'm guessing you know what this is."</p>
<p>"It's uh, fire Dust," Aqua said. "We used it to heat our stoves back home."</p>
<p>"Correct. Only you ain't gonna be using these just to heat stoves as a Huntress," Mud said. "Each one of these crystals holds a metric shit-ton of heat, and they're a bit more volatile than other types of Dust since that's just how fire is, so you gotta be careful about handling them in combat. If I shot this thing right here, I could blow up both of us and this entire trailer, so when you carry fire Dust you gotta watch out for stray bullets."</p>
<p>"So... don't carry fire Dust?" Aqua asked. "I don't see the point in carrying a bomb on you all the time."</p>
<p>"Well, it may be a bomb, but a bomb can be useful sometimes. Like, I can turn this into a makeshift grenade by tossing it at a guy and shooting it, or just throwing it really hard," Mud explained. "If you put it into your bullets, you can set things on fire, but you don't use a gun so that's not useful for you. Also, I think if you use your aura, you can slowly activate the energy in the Dust, giving you a steady stream of heat. I guess you could do that to warm yourself in the cold, set something on fire, I dunno, whatever you need to do with a heat source, which is probably a lot of things. Never tried it myself. I'd let you give that a try, but I don't want you frying this entire trailer."</p>
<p>"I wouldn't - " Aqua said before she paused. "Yeah, I guess that's safe."</p>
<p>"Point is, fire Dust is useful, but dangerous as hell. If someone chucks a fire crystal at you, duck outta the way unless you wanna get burned," Mud said, pocketing the fire Dust and bringing out a dark blue crystal. "Now then, this one's probably the most important type of Dust you'll be using. You remember how I said you're shit cause your semblance is only useful in the ocean?"</p>
<p>"Yeah, why'd you - " Aqua began to ask, then stopped. "That's water Dust, isn't it?"</p>
<p>"Good, you're learning." Mud grinned, tossing the crystal to Aqua, who fumbled it for a moment before catching it. "Fire Dust makes fire, so I probably don't have to tell you what water Dust makes. Definitely ain't as volatile as fire, but a lot less applications cause, well, no explosions. Can't really do much with water except drink it unless you're, well, you. Means not a lot of people carry it."</p>
<p>"So you think I can carry water Dust to help me use my semblance wherever I want?" Aqua asked, turning the crystal over in her hand. "But wait, how do I get the water?"</p>
<p>"Concentrate on it with your aura or something? I don't know shit about aura stuff, just - "</p>
<p>Mud suddenly stopped. She turned around, looking out into the woods.</p>
<p>"What's wrong?" Aqua asked, pocketing the water Dust crystal. "Are we - "</p>
<p>"Grab your spear and get ready," Mud muttered before quickly making her way to the front of the trailer, scrambling over crates and slipping between boxes. She jumped from the trailer to the truck and knocked on the back window. "Stop the truck and get down! We're about to get hit!"</p>
<p>"How do you know?" Aqua asked, chasing after Mud with spear in hand as the truck made its way to the side of the road. "I don't see anything but trees and - "</p>
<p>
  <em> <strong>AWOOOOOO!</strong> </em>
</p>
<p>"There you go. You get a feel for these things after a while," Mud said, reaching back into her backpack and grabbing her rifle. "We need to be their focus, draw them away from the truck and the supplies. Stay on the road, away from the forest. Beowolves like to use trees to block line of sight and sneak up on people. Got it?"</p>
<p>"R-right," Aqua replied, gripping her spear tightly. The two of them were standing in the middle of the road, facing the forest with their backs to the truck. Another series of howls pierced through the forest, these ones closer and louder than the initial howl they had heard before.</p>
<p>"Large pack. Maybe a few dozen. About two hundred meters out, by the sound of it," Mud muttered. "I'm shooting on sight; you keep close and take out any that make it to the road."</p>
<p>Aqua nodded. While most of her fighting experience had been in the waters of Clearwater Bay, she had her fair share of Beowolf kills, usually when one wandered too near the village for comfort and there weren't any guardsmen around to deal with it. However, she'd never dealt with such a large pack before. <em>What if I mess up again?</em></p>
<p>"They're here," Mud said. Before Aqua could even see any red eyes glowing through the forest, a bullet pierced its way through the trees, and a Beowolf's cry responded. Aqua stood by, watching as bullets flew into the forest and into the now-visible mass of Beowolves. She heard no shots impacting bark or dirt; every bullet seemed to find its way into the creatures of Grimm. Finally, one Beowolf broke away from the forest, evading the hail of bullets and stepping onto the road.</p>
<p>"I got it!" Aqua shouted, rushing the lone Beowolf. It growled at her and lunged. Aqua swung her spear, catching its side and knocking it to the ground before stabbing it in its exposed stomach. It cried out, the black particles making up its body fading away into the night.</p>
<p>"Another runner!" Mud shouted. Aqua turned back and saw another Beowolf jump out onto the road, this one larger than the last. Ignoring both Mud and Aqua, it ran towards the truck on the other side of the road.</p>
<p>"Oh no you don't!" Aqua tossed her spear. It sailed through the air, stabbing straight into the Beowolf's side and making it cry out in pain. As it turned, Aqua leaped forward, grabbing the spear and jerking it out of the Beowolf, making it cry out once again. Before it could recover, she brought the blade of her spear down over its neck, sending its head rolling from its body. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed several more Beowolves crossing the road into the other side of the forest, far ahead of where the truck currently was. "Mud, there's a bunch of - "</p>
<p>"I see them, they're trying to flank us!" Mud shouted, backing up towards the truck as she fired into the forest. "You take the front; I'll defend the other side!"</p>
<p>"I - okay!" Aqua shouted back as Mud scrambled over to the other side of the truck. As the gunfire continued behind her, Aqua turned towards the oncoming Beowolves, spear raised and ready. Though Mud had already cleared out much of the oncoming pack, there was still a fairly sizable portion left facing Aqua, approximately eight or so that were stepping out of the forest and surrounding her.</p>
<p><em>You've dealt with this many before. Maybe not out of water, but they're still Grimm, just with legs this time,</em> Aqua thought, pointing her spear as the Beowolves spread out, aiming to surround her. Aqua stepped towards a Beowolf near the edge of the group and, almost in sync, all the Beowolves lunged at her. She ducked under the oncoming Beowolves and rolled forward, under a leaping Beowolf, and stabbed upwards to pierce its stomach. It had started disintegrating by the time it landed, and Aqua turned towards the other Beowolves, which had leaped past her and were once again keeping their distance.</p>
<p>"Come on! Is that all you got?" Aqua shouted. She heard a growl from behind, turning around in time to block a claw swipe with the shaft of her spear before knocking it away. The other Beowolves took this as a signal to attack and rushed forward, slashing and biting at Aqua as she was forced back from the onslaught of claws and teeth. Eventually, one attack got through her guard, sending her crashing back against the road. As Aqua looked up at the Beowolves rushing towards her, she felt something hard pushing into her hip.</p>
<p><em>That's right, the water Dust! </em>Aqua thought, taking out the blue crystal. She concentrated her aura, pushing it into the water Dust as she scrambled to her feet. "Come on, this has gotta work..."</p>
<p>
  <em>FWOOOSH!</em>
</p>
<p>An explosion of water shot out from the crystal, erupting into the air around Aqua. She reached out, gathering the water into two long tendrils around her arms as the Beowolves leapt towards her.</p>
<p>"You're gonna get it now!" Aqua shouted, lashing out with the tendril connected to her left arm, which had now flattened into a blade. It cut through the three Beowolves closest to her as her other tendril struck the rest, throwing them back towards the forest. Raising her spear, she surrounded it in water and hurled it at one of the remaining Beowolves, leaving a thin trail of water connecting her body to the spear. It pierced through its target and, still surrounded by Aqua's water, turned and pierced through the other three before returning to Aqua's hand. She looked around, but she saw no more in the immediate area.</p>
<p>"Yes!" Aqua shouted, pumping her fist in celebration. Suddenly, another howl echoed through the forest, this one louder than the rest. Scanning the forest, Aqua saw one more Beowolf making its way towards the road, much larger than the rest had been. It stood on two legs, at least a meter taller than Aqua, and had thick bone plating in many more areas than the average Beowolf. Gathering the water around herself, Aqua leaped towards the Beowolf and stabbed forward, the full force of the water she had gathered pushing her spear forward.</p>
<p>Only for her spear to bounce off the Beowolf's thick chest plating.</p>
<p>"Huh?" Aqua said before the Beowolf slashed down with its claw, slamming Aqua down into the ground. She gasped in pain as she felt her aura plummet. Looking up, she saw the Beowolf standing over her, claw raised to strike down once again.</p>
<p>"Incoming!"</p>
<p>A giant sword, at least as long as Aqua was tall, swung into view, slicing through the Beowolf's arm and sending it stumbling back. As Aqua scrambled to her feet, she saw the wielder of the sword, a large man donned in dark red armor and what looked like a knight's helmet. While the Beowolf was still stunned from the previous strike, the man leaped forward, striking at the Beowolf once again.</p>
<p>A bang rang out behind Aqua and the Beowolf's head blew up, the body dissolving before the man's strike could reach it. Looking back, Aqua saw Mud standing by the truck, the barrel of her rifle smoking.</p>
<p>"Who the hell're you?" Mud asked, raising her rifle towards the man.</p>
<p>"Whoa, I'm not here to fight," the man said as his weapon shrunk down to a more manageable size. After putting it on his back, he removed his helmet, revealing a middle-aged man with a small moustache and a head of red hair. "I'm Roland Redric, a Huntsman stationed at Palebrook. I heard there was an emergency supply run coming up the road, so I came as quickly as I could."</p>
<p>"Th - thanks for saving me," Aqua said. "That Beowolf was a lot stronger than I thought it was."</p>
<p>"Yeah, the alphas tend to be that way," Mud said. "Now let's get back in the truck, unless you wanna wait around for another horde of Grimm."</p>
<p>"I'll escort you the rest of the way, it's only about half an hour down the road," Roland said before putting his helmet back on and making his way down the road towards Palebrook. Mud told Clark, who was huddled down under the driver's seat of the truck, that the danger had passed before climbing back onto the trailer with Aqua.</p>
<p>"So that's a Huntsman, huh?" Aqua asked as the truck rumbled down the road again.</p>
<p>"Yup," Mud replied. "Big hero, jumps in at the last second to save the day and take the glory. That's what you're looking for, huh?"</p>
<p>"What do you mean? He saved my life," Aqua said. "And where were you, anyways? You only came in after he saved me to take the kill for yourself."</p>
<p>"You think I care about kill counts, kid?" Mud asked. "I just finished up with the flanking Beowolves and wanted to see how you fight. Nice thinking with that water Dust, by the way. I can see why you relied so much on your semblance back home."</p>
<p>"Wait, you were just watching the whole time?" Aqua asked. "I could have died!"</p>
<p>"But you didn't. And you wouldn't have, cause if that guy didn't jump in, I would've blown the alpha's head off."</p>
<p>"What if you missed?"</p>
<p>"I wouldn't have missed."</p>
<p>"I'm sorry, but I've known you for a little more than a day," Aqua said. "I know you're good, but I don't want to trust you with my life just yet."</p>
<p>"Look, maybe I let the situation get a bit too dangerous for you, and if so, that's on me, cause I'm still figuring this 'teaching' thing out," Mud said. "But I wanted to get a good idea of how you fight Grimm and use your semblance. Plus, I'm supposed to teach you, and there's no better teacher than a life-or-death scenario. Believe me, I know."</p>
<p>"I guess..." Aqua muttered. "But I don't like it."</p>
<p>"Well, get used to it, cause you'll be experiencing a lot more life-or-death situations if you become a Huntress," Mud said. "If it's any consolation, you did pretty good out there."</p>
<p>"Yeah, well, not good enough to take on that Beowolf," Aqua said. "I couldn't even scratch it, and he came in and handled it so easily."</p>
<p>"One step at a time, kid." Mud chuckled. "He's a Huntsman. You got a long way 'till you're at his level. Focus on actually getting into Beacon first."</p>
<p>"I know," Aqua said. "But I felt so... weak. There wasn't anything I could do against it."</p>
<p>"Yeah, well, all of us were that weak at some point. Anyone as good as me or that guy spent a lot of time getting there," Mud said. "Don't beat yourself up about it. Just gotta keep at it until you get stronger."</p>
<p>The rest of the ride was quiet as the truck rumbled on towards Palebrook.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>And here's the second chapter of Mud's and Aqua's journey! You may have noticed that it's somewhat longer than the first; most of the chapters from here on out will be about this long. Thanks to all of you for continuing to read this story. If you've got any comments or criticisms, don't hesitate to leave them down below, and have a nice week!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Is Your Refrigerator Running?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"<em>Mom, where's the burn ointment?"</em></p><p>"<em>It's on the top shelf, remember? I showed you last week."</em></p><p>"<em>Got it, thanks!"</em></p><p>
  <em>Aqua grabbed the small container and ran back to her room, where a young lady with fair skin and long black hair was lying on her bed, passed out. She uncapped the container and began to rub some ointment on the woman's back.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Urgh..."</em></p><p>
  <em>Aqua stepped back as the lady groaned weakly and stirred. One eye slowly opened, first unfocused before looking over at Aqua.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Um, are you - "</em></p><p>"<em>Stay away!" the lady shouted suddenly, scrambling up and thrusting her hand out towards Aqua, only to collapse back onto the bed with a cry of pain.</em></p><p>"<em>Calm down!" Aqua said, stepping forward. "I'm not going to hurt you. So, please, calm down."</em></p><p>"<em>I... alright," the lady said as she started to lie down, only to shoot up with a hiss of pain as her back touched the bed.</em></p><p>"<em>Sorry! I should have told you, you need to lie down on your front. Your back's badly sunburned," Aqua explained. "I've applied some ointment to help, but for now, you need to let it heal."</em></p><p>"<em>Thank you," the lady said, turning towards Aqua. "But... where am I? How did I get here?"</em></p><p>"<em>You're in Clearwater, on the coast of Vale. I found you clinging to a piece of driftwood and carried you here," Aqua explained. "If you don't mind me asking, how did you end up out there? Shipwreck or something?"</em></p><p>"<em>Yeah, shipwreck..." the lady muttered. "I guess you could say that. Thank you for saving and taking care of me, by the way."</em></p><p>"<em>It's nothing. I was out killing Grimm and I just so happened to come across you. My mother studies medicine, so we have enough medical supplies for unexpected patients like you," Aqua said. "Speaking of, I don't think I caught your name? I'm Aqua."</em></p><p>"<em>Resina. Resina Stone," the lady said. "It's nice to meet you, Aqua."</em></p>
<hr/><p>
  <strong>Chapter 3: Is Your Refrigerator Running?</strong>
</p><p>"Oof."</p><p>Aqua set the crate down on the floor of the storehouse before sitting down on top of it, rubbing her aching back. She looked back over to the truck and saw Mud talking to the truck driver, though she couldn't hear what they were saying. The truck driver handed Mud something and shook her hand before getting into his truck. As he drove away, Mud turned towards Aqua.</p><p>"Come here! Got something for you."</p><p>"What is it?" Aqua asked, hopping off the crate and walking over. Mud handed her a small envelope, which she opened. "This is... money?"</p><p>"From the job," Mud explained. "Already took my cut. Seventy-thirty. Consider that twenty percent my teaching fee."</p><p>"Thanks," Aqua said. "Did we have to unload all the supplies, though? I thought our job was only protecting the truck, and my back hurts."</p><p>"A little bit of labor can go a long way, at least for reputation. A guy's gonna remember the mercenary who helped him unload his supplies better than the mercenary who dipped as soon as they reached town," Mud explained. "Besides, you wanna be a Huntress, right? Helper of the people and all that. You're supposed to be strong, can't let a few crates defeat you."</p><p>"Yeah, well, I imagined that I'd be helping by fighting Grimm, not lugging boxes around," Aqua said. "So, what now? It's dark out, so we should probably find some place to stay, right?"</p><p>"Yeah, probably. We'll find an inn and rest up. Got another day of training ahead of you."</p><p>"Can we wake - "</p><p>"Nah, I'm still waking you up early," Mud said. "You'll get used to it."</p>
<hr/><p>"...ake up."</p><p>
  <em>Ugh...</em>
</p><p>"Time to rise and shine, kid."</p><p>"Alright, I'm up, I'm up," Aqua mumbled, throwing off the covers and rolling out of bed, eyes still half-closed. She yawned, looking around for her bag and spear. "So, what is it today? Am I gonna be shot again?"</p><p>"Nah, I'm thinking something different today," Mud said. Aqua looked up to see Mud once again already dressed in her full gear, standing by the door. "Come on, let's go. Don't wanna be late."</p><p>"Why not? Are we meeting someone?" Aqua asked, grabbing her stuff and following Mud out the door.</p><p>"Kinda. Let's go." Mud led Aqua out of the inn and out onto the street. The river that cut through Palebrook ran right across the street from the inn, but it had been too dark to really make out anything about it when the two had arrived at the inn the previous night. Now, illuminated by the early morning sun, she was able to see it in detail. While it was nowhere near as large as the bay where she was raised, it was still fairly wide, and deep enough for small boats to traverse without running aground. She saw several people fishing from along the edge of the river, on the boats, and on the various bridges over the river.</p><p>"You said that this town has a fishing industry?" Aqua asked. "The river's pretty big, but is it enough to sustain the town? Clearwater has an entire bay, and we're still pretty small."</p><p>"I dunno the specifics, but I heard fish regularly run up and down between the ocean and Moonlight Lake, up in the mountains. I guess they get enough to make due," Mud explained. "Plus, fishing ain't the biggest thing here. That'd be the mines up in the mountains. Lotta money in there."</p><p>"Oh, I see," Aqua said. "What do they mine? Dust?"</p><p>"Nah, just metals and stuff, I dunno," Mud said. They continued down along the river, toward the edge of town, where Mud stopped. She pounded the door of a nearby building. "Hey, open up!"</p><p>"Isn't it six in the morning?" Aqua asked. "I don't think you should be banging on someone's door."</p><p>"Relax, they're probably awake already. Well, they should be," Mud said. The door creaked open, and a man wearing a helmet greeted them.</p><p>"How can I help - oh, I remember you," the man said. "Mud, was it? What brings you here? Another job?"</p><p>"Not exactly," Mud said. "Is Melony in? I got a favor to ask."</p><p>"Sorry, the captain is out right now. She went out about ten minutes earlier to meet up with some Huntsman, wanted to talk about something concerning the town's defenses."</p><p>"Huh. So who's in charge of training today?"</p><p>"That would be me," the man said. "Why do you ask?"</p><p>"Could you let this kid in on today's training?" Mud asked, stepping aside so that the man could get a clearer view of Aqua. "She wants to be a Huntress, but needs a bit of work. Wanna see how she holds up against the local militia, give her a bit of sparring practice and stuff."</p><p>"Ah, I see," the man said, turning towards Aqua and extending his hand. "I'm Horace Lampshade, part of the Palebrook Guard, and this is our barracks. It's a pleasure to meet you."</p><p>"I - I'm Aqua," Aqua replied, shaking Horace's hand. "Nice to meet you too."</p><p>"I understand you want to become a Huntress?" Horace asked. "What's stopping you? At your age, you should be registering for Beacon."</p><p>"I, uh - "</p><p>"She ain't got the skill," Mud interrupted. "Tested her myself. She can fight Grimm fine, but doesn't know how to fight people. Also, doesn't know much about guns or Dust, but I'm working on that."</p><p>"That makes sense," Horace said, turning toward Aqua. "Much of our practice involves sparring with each other; we push our limits and learn from fighting one another. It may help, if you're able to keep up."</p><p>"Thanks for having me," Aqua said. "I'll try to not fall behind."</p><p>"Glad to hear it," Horace said. "You can leave your stuff inside. We start in ten minutes."</p>
<hr/><p>Breathe in. Step, step, step, step.</p><p>
  <em>It's been two days now... what are Mom and Dad doing right now?</em>
</p><p>Breathe out. Step, step, step, step.</p><p>
  <em>Did they figure out which way I went? Could they have? They probably guessed I'm heading up towards Beacon...</em>
</p><p>Breathe in. Step, step, step, step.</p><p>
  <em>I'm probably making them worry... but -</em>
</p><p>"Hey kid, you doing okay?"</p><p>"Huh?" Aqua asked, Mud's question breaking her out of her thoughts.</p><p>"You keeping up alright?" Mud asked. They had been running laps around the town alongside the rest of the Palebrook Guard; apparently, they started each day with a rigorous exercise session, and while Aqua was strong enough to keep up with the rest of the group, she still felt the burn in her legs as they made their way around the town's walls.</p><p>"Yeah, I'm doing fine," Aqua replied as she glanced over at Mud, who was running alongside her. While Aqua was only carrying her spear, Mud was still decked out in her full combat gear, including her guns and backpack, yet she was still keeping up with everyone without breaking a sweat.</p><p>"You sure? You were blanking out a bit there," Mud said.</p><p>"Just... thinking about my parents," Aqua said. "They're probably worried about me."</p><p>"Huh, I'm guessing they don't exactly approve of your little trip to Beacon."</p><p>"H - how'd you know?"</p><p>"Just a guess," Mud said. "You come down the road with nothing but a spear and a pack that looks pretty hastily put together, you cry about hating your home and your dreary life and not wanting to go back, all that stuff. If your parents wanted you to become a Huntress, you'd be better prepared than you were. So, am I right or am I right?"</p><p>"That's... yeah," Aqua said. "I wanted to be a Huntress. They wanted me to stay in Clearwater. We had a fight, and I ran away while they were asleep."</p><p>"So, what's the deal with them anyways?" Mud said. "They don't like Huntsmen or what?"</p><p>"They think it's too dangerous. They don't want me to die fighting Grimm in some far-off place... they'd rather I stay safe with them and become a fisherwoman or a healer or something," Aqua explained. "I know they're concerned, but that doesn't mean they get to decide what I want! I know I'm strong enough to succeed as a Huntress, to survive... well, maybe not yet. But I will be."</p><p>"I get your parents, it's a risky business. Even the strongest Huntsmen are human, and that means they can die at any time," Mud said. "But that doesn't mean it won't work out. If you wanna prove your parents wrong, you gotta put in the work."</p><p>"I know," Aqua said. "Still, they probably panicked after I left. They probably guessed I'm heading up towards Beacon, but not much more than that."</p><p>"What, you didn't leave them a note or anything?"</p><p>"No... they can probably guess why I left."</p><p>"Eh, well, most smaller towns or villages don't have CCT transmitters, so it'll be a bit before you're actually reported missing," Mud said. "They might come up personally to search, but that'll take a bit to find you unless they get lucky."</p><p>"That's good," Aqua said. "Hopefully, we can get to Vale by then."</p><p>"And hopefully your skills are up to par by then."</p><p>"Isn't that your job?"</p><p>"Hey, my job is to teach you. It's your job to get your skills up."</p><p>"Aqua! Less chit-chat, more running! Up to the front!" Horace shouted back, interrupting the conversation. Aqua sighed, increasing her pace and making her way up to the front of the group of running guardsmen as Mud trailed behind her.</p>
<hr/><p>"Huff, huff... hooo."</p><p>Aqua breathed deeply as she sat in the shade, away from the sun now higher in the sky. Most of her morning so far had been completely filled with exercising; running, jumping, push-ups, sit-ups, squats, the works. Though she was able to keep up with the rest of the Palebrook Guard, that didn't stop her muscles from burning from the continuous workout.</p><p>"Come on, it wasn't that bad," Mud said. Aqua looked up to see Mud standing over her. Though she had done all of the exercises alongside Aqua while donning her full gear, she looked no worse for wear. "These guys do it every day."</p><p>"Yeah, well," Aqua began, only to stop as she couldn't think of anything to say. Instead, she focused on her breathing. "So what's next?"</p><p>"Short break for breakfast, then sparring," Mud said, handing Aqua a tin, a fork, and a water bottle. Aqua realized that she hadn't yet eaten today; the burn from exercising had taken her mind off her hunger. She opened the tin to find that it was filled with potatoes and scrambled eggs, messily thrown together with a couple of sausages on top. She began greedily wolfing it down.</p><p>"You seem pretty familiar with these guys," Aqua said between bites.</p><p>"Yeah, I worked with them a bit back," Mud explained. "There was a pretty nasty Beringel hanging around in the mountains near town. Caused trouble with the mines; attacked trucks running down the mountain and killed workers heading up and down. Got hired to get rid of it. Tough piece of shit though; plating as thick as a tank, and arms that could probably rip one in half."</p><p>"So how'd you kill it?" Aqua asked.</p><p>"Not easily, but I managed. Thing was big, but slow, dumb, and kinda easy to read. Dodged its attacks, shot out its eyes, froze it in place with ice Dust, and unloaded into its neck before it could break free," Mud said. "By the way, if you ever fight a Beringel, try to go for the front of the neck, beneath the chin. Good place to hit."</p><p>"That sounds... impressive," Aqua said. She'd never seen a Beringel before, but she'd heard that they were among the tougher of Grimm species; taking one down without help seemed fairly noteworthy.</p><p>"Anyways, you're gonna be sparring against some of the guards here soon," Mud said. "The last person you fought was me, and that ain't really a fair fight, so I wanna see how you do against someone more about your level. This is your first time in a spar, right?"</p><p>"Yeah, I guess," Aqua said. "Why? Is there something I should know?"</p><p>"Not really. Was gonna give a little lesson here, but I think I'll wait until after you get your ass kicked," Mud said as she stood up and walked away. "Now hurry up and finish eating, I think they're starting."</p><p>"H - hey!" Aqua exclaimed as she dug into the last bits of her breakfast.</p>
<hr/><p>"Aqua! You're late!" Horace shouted as Aqua ran in, joining the guards gathered behind the barracks. "If you were one of my guardsmen, I'd discipline you!"</p><p>"Sorry!"</p><p>"Anyways, since we have a guest, I'll go over the procedure for today's sparring practice," Horace said, turning back towards the rest of the group. "You will all find a partner and an open space to spar in. You will fight until one of you submits. Know when you are beaten; I do not want to see anyone's aura breaking today. You are not fighting to win, but to improve. After each spar, take a short break. That's all; now go."</p><p>As everyone started to break off into their own pairs, Aqua looked around, trying to find someone to spar with. However, everyone seemed to be already partnered up, and had begun dispersing around. Then, Aqua felt a hand on her shoulder.</p><p>"Hello!"</p><p>"Ah!" Aqua jumped back, turning to see a girl about her age with long, purple hair. She wore a metal chestplate and armored leggings, and had a sword and several pouches on her waist.</p><p>"I apologize, I didn't mean to scare you," the girl said. "You are a guest to our training session, correct? My name is Viola Vance. Would you be able to spar with me?"</p><p>"Uh, yeah. And sure, I can spar with you," Aqua replied. "I'm Aqua, by the way."</p><p>"It is a pleasure to meet you, Aqua," Viola said as the two made their way to an open space. "What made you want to join our training?"</p><p>"I'm trying to get into Beacon," Aqua explained, stepping back from Viola and readying her spear. "Mud - the girl with all the army gear - has been training me. She wanted me to join you guys, to get some experience fighting people."</p><p>"Oh?" Viola said, drawing her sword and holding out in front of herself, both hands on the grip. "Well, I suppose I may be able to help give you some of that experience. Are you ready to begin?"</p><p>"Ready when you are."</p><p>"Then let us begin."</p><p>Viola made the first move, stepping forward with her sword raised. Aqua held her spear out, waiting for Viola to commit to an action as she warily stepped away, maintaining her distance. After a moment, Viola burst forward, swinging her sword overhead. Aqua parried the strike and thrust her spear towards Viola's chest, but she dodged to the side before unleashing another slash towards Aqua. Aqua barely brought her spear back in time, blocking the strike with the shaft of her weapon before pushing the strike back, causing Viola to lose her balance. Taking the opportunity, Aqua lashed out with a spear thrust, knocking Viola away and making her aura shimmer.</p><p>"You are doing quite well so far," Viola said with a grin, regaining her footing.</p><p>"Thanks," Aqua replied. Viola stepped forwards, raising her sword once more for what looked like another overhead slash. Aqua raised her spear again, moving to parry the attack; however, the moment her spear connected with Viola's blade, Aqua felt a painful jolt shoot up her hands into her arms, causing her to cry out and let go of her spear as she stumbled back. Before she could regain her balance, Viola knocked Aqua's feet out from under her with a sweeping kick, and Aqua fell onto her back. She looked up to see Viola's sword in her face.</p><p>"I - I submit."</p><p>"Alright," Viola said, lowering her sword and reaching down to help Aqua back on her feet. "You did decently, but I believe you have quite a gap between your current level and getting into Beacon."</p><p>"Yeah... I know," Aqua replied, picking up her spear. "But what did you do there? When you hit my spear..."</p><p>"Look here," Viola said, showing Aqua the hilt of her sword. Aqua leaned closer and saw a hole near the base of the blade, and a yellow crystal embedded into it. "I used lightning Dust to charge the blade and shock you."</p><p>"Oh, that makes sense..." Aqua muttered. <em>So she's carrying Dust in those pouches by her waist.</em></p><p>"Hey, can I talk to the kid for a second?" Mud said, coming in and interrupting the conversation. Viola nodded and backed away, leaving the two by themselves. "I was watching your little fight, you know."</p><p>"Yeah, I get it, I sucked," Aqua said. "You don't have to tell me every time."</p><p>"Eh, you sucked a little less there," Mud said. "Got your ass kicked like I said you would, but you didn't completely shit the bed. Some good things there."</p><p>"Like what?"</p><p>"You fought defensively, which is a pretty good idea, given the range difference between a sword and a spear," Mud explained. "You made her come to you, and you used that to your advantage and managed to land a hit. That's part of what you need to learn when fighting another person; your weapon and their weapon will affect how the battle will play out, whether you'll go on the attack or defense, that kind of stuff."</p><p>"Yeah, I guess that's true," Aqua said. She hadn't been thinking about the weapon matchup when fighting Viola, but what Mud was saying seemed to make sense. "So I should be defensive if the enemy's weapon is shorter than my spear? And vice versa?"</p><p>"That's generally it, though every battle is different," Mud said. "Which leads me to my next point. You fought Grimm most of the time, right? Let's say there's two different Gnashers. Anything different about how they fight?"</p><p>"Well, some are smarter or more aggressive than the others, but they mostly fight the same. Swim forward and try to bite you. Maybe they'll try to get behind you, but that's about it."</p><p>"Yeah, well, fighting people is different. Everyone's got their own weapons, equipment, fighting style, semblance, and all that other shit. Means you gotta be prepared for anything," Mud said. "Like that girl you fought. She electrified her sword, you didn't expect it, and you lost."</p><p>"Well, how was I supposed to know she'd do that?" Aqua asked.</p><p>"You watch carefully. Take note of what your enemy has and what they might have, and react accordingly. I saw the little slot in the girl's sword as she drew it. I saw her taking out the lightning Dust crystal and put it in her sword, which you apparently missed. I saw that she's got a bunch of Dust pouches on her waist, which means that she probably uses Dust to fight, most likely to augment her sword. She's probably got different things she can do with fire, ice, whatever," Mud explained as she pointed towards a nearby guard in the middle of sparring. "You see that guy over there?"</p><p>"Yeah?" Aqua observed the guard, who wielded a knife and was currently jumping away from a mace strike from another guard. "What about him?"</p><p>"At a glance, how do you think he fights?" Mud asked.</p><p>"Uh... he's a knife fighter?"</p><p>"Well, duh. What else?" Mud asked. "Come on, gimme something."</p><p>"Hmm... he's got nothing in his other hand, but it's constantly hovering near his waist... maybe he's got something there?" Aqua looked closer and saw a leather, pistol-sized holster hanging from the guard's waist. "Oh, yeah, he's got a sidearm. And he's ready to pull it out when he needs to."</p><p>"Good. If you spar against him, I expect you to not get shot," Mud said. "Moving on, the other big thing I noticed: you were predictable."</p><p>"What do you mean?" Aqua asked.</p><p>"Here's what I saw. First engagement, the girl does opens with an overhead swing, you parry, some other stuff happens, and you manage to get a hit. You remember that?" Mud asked, and Aqua nodded. "Alright. You two disengage, and she goes for another overhead swing. What did you do?"</p><p>"I... tried to parry it again."</p><p>"Right. I knew you were gonna do that, and she knew you were gonna do that. That's how she managed to catch you off guard and shock you," Mud explained. "While some Grimm are smart, most of them are pretty dumb, and they won't pick up on patterns like that. But a human? We're smart, we're wired to see this kinda shit. A good fighter adapts to the enemy, figures out their patterns and weaknesses, and exploits them. You gotta stay on your toes; watch out for anything you can exploit about the other guy, while figuring out how to stop them from doing the same."</p><p>"That's... I'll keep that in mind," Aqua said. "I'll go find someone else to - "</p><p>"Ah, Mud. I didn't expect to see you here."</p><p>Aqua turned to see a middle-aged woman with glasses approaching Mud, as well as the Huntsman from the previous night - Roland Redric, if she remembered correctly.</p><p>"Oh, Melony, what's up," Mud said, turning around. "Just looking at your guards training. They've got a bit better since last I came around."</p><p>"Hm. That goes without saying," the woman - Melony, Aqua guessed - said. "Why are you back here? Looking for work again? Unfortunately, I have no more Beringels for you to kill."</p><p>"Well that's good, cause I still don't think your guys would be able to handle one," Mud said. "I'm just here cause I got a student who wants to get into Beacon. Felt like putting her up against the locals."</p><p>"My Palebrook Guard is not a sparring dojo. It is not open for civilians or mercenaries to just jump in and train."</p><p>"I - I'm sorry," Aqua said. "We'll just go and - "</p><p>"I don't really see the problem here," Roland interrupted. "Doesn't seem like there's any harm in letting the kid join in."</p><p>"I suppose I can let it slide," Melony said, turning away and heading towards where the guards were sparring as Roland approached Mud and Aqua.</p><p>"Hey, sorry I ran off after you made it into Palebrook," Roland said. "I had something to take care of. You're Mud, right? A mercenary? I've heard a bit about you."</p><p>"Yup," Mud replied.</p><p>"And I don't think I caught your name," Roland continued, turning towards Aqua. "You were the one I saved from the alpha Beowolf, right?"</p><p>"I'm Aqua. Thanks again for saving me."</p><p>"You're welcome. All in a day's work."</p><p>"So you're the one working with Melony on the town's defenses?" Mud asked. "What's that about?"</p><p>"Well, I'm a Huntsman hired to help defend the town," Roland explained. "Obviously, I can't do that alone, so I'm coordinating with the Palebrook Guard to help bolster our defenses against Grimm attacks."</p><p>"And bandits, right?" Aqua asked. "The supplies we were guarding, we heard they were emergency supplies to replace what bandits had stolen."</p><p>"Yeah, well, the bandits have been a bit of a problem recently," Roland said. "I don't think they're too much to worry about, though. Palebrook isn't exactly a trading hotspot; they'll eventually stop raiding the occasional caravan or storehouse and move on to places with more traffic."</p><p>"That seems pretty optimistic," Mud said. "What makes you think - "</p><p>"Excuse me!"</p><p>A shout interrupted their conversation. Aqua turned to see a man running towards them. He stopped in front of them, panting hard. "Is.. is Melony here?"</p><p>"She's over there," Roland said, pointing towards where she was watching the rest of the guard. "What's the issue?"</p><p>"The supplies," the man said. "The supplies that came in last night... they're gone!"</p>
<hr/><p>When Aqua arrived at the storehouse with Mud, she saw that it had certainly not stayed the way they left it. The door had been blown off its hinges and onto the ground, the locks shattered, and the supply crates they had guarded were now missing, along with many other boxes and crates that were there before the previous night. Melony and Roland were inside the storehouse with a few guards, investigating the damage.</p><p>"This is bad, isn't it?" Aqua asked Mud. "Those were already emergency supplies after the last set of supplies went missing..."</p><p>"Eh, probably," Mud said. "Town's probably gonna do without a bit of Dust or food until the next shipment. Ain't the end of the world, but not exactly ideal."</p><p>"How does that work, anyways?" Aqua asked. "Why is Palebrook reliant on shipments from outside? I get the Dust, but the food too?"</p><p>"Town's mostly surrounded by dense forest and mountains," Mud explained. "Sure, you can go fishing in the river, but that's not enough to sustain everyone. Mining business is good though, so Palebrook exports a lot of raw ores and imports whatever it needs with that money."</p><p>"Huh."</p><p>"Mud!" Melony shouted over to the two.</p><p>"What?!" Mud shouted back.</p><p>"Come over here, I want your insight on this!" Melony shouted.</p><p>"I can give it a glance-over, but I ain't doing your investigation for you," Mud said, approaching the storehouse as Aqua followed. "If you haven't noticed, I'm not on your payroll. You're lucky I'm a bit interested in what happened, cause otherwise I wouldn't be here at all."</p><p>"A quick look is all I ask," Melony said. "You've worked with and against bandits before. Does this look like their work?"</p><p>"Huh," Mud muttered, stepping over the broken door and into the storehouse, taking a look around. She opened and closed a few boxes, looked closely at a few points of the storehouse that Aqua couldn't figure out the significance of, and turned back towards Melony. "Yeah, looks like you got a bandit problem. Consider that a freebie; if you want more help, you're gonna have to hire me."</p><p>"I don't think that's really necessary," Roland said. "I'm sure we can take the investigation from - "</p><p>"Mud, I assume you're available?" Melony asked. "We would like to make sure this does not happen again."</p><p>"Depends," Mud said. "How much?"</p><p>"Fifty percent more than your previous contract," Melony said. "The one with the Beringel."</p><p>"Thrice that," Mud said. "Plus reimbursements for equipment and ammunition. This is a whole group of baddies, not some random Grimm."</p><p>"Deal," Melony said, extending her hand. "I expect the full extent of your cooperation. I'll have the paperwork ready once I get back to the guardhouse. I expect you to get to work immediately."</p><p>"Glad to work with you again," Mud said, shaking Melony's hand. As Melony turned back towards the storehouse, Mud walked back over to where Aqua was watching. "Hey, guess what."</p><p>"Did you just take a job?" Aqua asked. "You said bandits... are we going to have to fight bandits?"</p><p>"Just think of it as more training. Plus, you're gonna be a Huntress and help people with stuff like this, right?" Mud asked. "Might as well start now. It'll be good experience."</p><p>"I hope so..."</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>And here's the third chapter! The chapter title actually has to do with how I came up with the name of a certain character; see if you can guess which one. I'll be posting on a regular schedule about every six days, so you can probably expect the next chapter next Friday. Thanks for reading, and have a good rest of your day!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Not As Expected</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"<em>Whoops," Aqua muttered, accidentally knocking over the cup she had set aside on the counter. She grabbed it before it could spill over and placed it on a tray, alongside a plate holding some fried fish, a piece of bread, and a small helping of vegetables. Aqua made sure she had everything before picking up the tray and heading into her room.</em></p><p>"<em>... and you'll require several days of rest before any strenuous physical activity. I'll prepare the guest room for your stay," Aqua heard her mother say to Resina, who was sitting up on the bed. Upon hearing Aqua enter, her mother turned towards her. "Oh, there you are. Set that down by the bed; Resina's going to need to eat to recover her strength and heal up."</em></p><p>"<em>Oh no, I can't accept such generosity," Resina said. "Thank you for treating me up until now. I'll just be on my way to - "</em></p><p>"<em>No strenuous activity means no travel. Your body and aura are both extremely exhausted, and until you have fully recovered, you aren't going anywhere," Aqua's mother interrupted, standing up and moving towards the door. "Eat your meal and remember to apply the burn salve every few hours. I'll finish preparing the guest room and check back on you later."</em></p><p>"<em>Kinda strict, isn't she?" Resina asked after Aqua's mother left the room.</em></p><p>"<em>Yeah, she's always like that with her patients," Aqua said. "She knows best, though. At least, when it comes to medical issues."</em></p><p>"<em>She sure seems that way," Resina said. She picked up the food that Aqua had left and began eating. "I'm sorry to impose on you here. Once I've recovered, I'll be out of your house and on my way."</em></p><p>"<em>Don't worry, it's no problem," Aqua said. "We have enough room for you, and since my dad's a fisherman, it's not like we'll run out of food, especially since we usually only have three mouths to feed."</em></p><p>"<em>Just you and your parents?" Resina asked. "It sounds like quite a cozy home..."</em></p><p>"<em>Yeah. Life here is... simple," Aqua said. "You said you wanted to be on your way? Where to? Home?"</em></p><p>"<em>Just... somewhere else," Resina said. "I don't have a home. Not anymore."</em></p>
<hr/><p>
  <strong>Chapter 4: Not As Expected</strong>
</p><p>Aqua watched as Mud paced back and forth across the floor of the storehouse. It was a fairly large structure, as the interior was large enough to hold at least her entire house. From what Aqua had been told, there were several such storehouses scattered throughout town, and this particular storehouse had crates piled high, filled with various resources from food to Dust to tools to whatever the people of Palebrook needed to survive and thrive.</p><p>Or at least, it should have been. Instead, the storehouse floor was noticeably vacant, with much of its floor space left open where crates full of Dust and food should have been sitting. Only a few crates and containers remained in the storehouse. Though they were sealed away tightly, preventing Aqua from seeing inside, Melony had told Mud and Aqua that they were mostly tools, equipment, and nonessential goods; not really what the town needed in the face of a food and Dust shortage.</p><p>"What are we still doing here?" Aqua asked. Roland, Melony, and the rest of the Palebrook guard had already left, leaving the two alone at the scene of the crime. "Didn't you say the culprits were bandits already? I don't see why we have to stay around - "</p><p>"Shh," Mud said, shushing Aqua. She stepped out of the storehouse and looked back, her gaze shifting all over the front of the storehouse, from the broken-down doors to the walls to the roof. Her hand rubbed against her chin for a moment before she took out her scroll, typing out a message that Aqua couldn't see before sending it.</p><p>"Uh, what was that?" Aqua asked.</p><p>"We'll find out later," Mud said, pocketing her scroll and turning to Aqua. "But for now, I think I've got a decent idea about what happened here."</p><p>"Yeah?" Aqua asked, waiting for Mud to explain. Instead she just stood there, smiling at Aqua. "What? Aren't you gonna say what happened?"</p><p>"Nope," Mud said with a grin. "You're gonna have to figure that out for yourself."</p><p>"What do you mean?" Aqua asked, confused. "Wait, is this another one of your impromptu lessons?"</p><p>"Yup," Mud said. "You're playing little miss private eye today."</p><p>"What else is there to investigate?" Aqua asked. "We know it's bandits. Now, we just gotta go and take out those bandits. Right?"</p><p>"Not just yet," Mud said. "Investigating the scene of a crime can tell you a lot about the criminal. If we're gonna go up against these guys, we wanna figure out more about them, right? Besides, Huntsmen and Huntresses do a lot of investigating like this, whether it's to track down Grimm or find nasty criminals. It'll give you a bit of experience."</p><p>"Fine," Aqua said, stepping into the storehouse. "So, what should I be doing?"</p><p>"There's enough evidence here to figure out what happened during the crime scene. Right now, it's your job to look around and piece it all together," Mud explained. "I'll give you a starting point. What did they do when they arrived?"</p><p>"Uh..." Aqua stepped back outside and turned around, looking about the front entrance of the storehouse. Two thick metal doors were on the ground, a few feet away from the open entrance. "They took down the door?"</p><p>"Not yet," Mud said. "Look around the front entrance. You see anything unusual?"</p><p>"What are you talking..." Aqua began to ask, trailing off as she scanned her eyes around the front of the storehouse. In a corner, where the wall met the roof of the building, she spotted a mess of wires sticking out of the wall. Whatever device they had been attached to had been ripped off, leaving their copper ends exposed in the air. "There's something up here. Or at least, there was something."</p><p>"There you go," Mud said. "Now, what electricity-needing device would be up over a storehouse entrance and destroyed during a heist?"</p><p>"It's... it's a camera," Aqua realized. "Wait, we should ask whoever manages the storehouse about this. They might have footage of the incident!"</p><p>"Way ahead of you. I already threw a message up to the town council; they control resource distribution, which means they manage the storehouses," Mud said. "Alright, what's next? How did they get in?"</p><p>"Uh, through the front?" Aqua asked, pointing at the doorless front entrance. "Seems kinda clear."</p><p>"Well, duh," Mud said. "But these storehouses are locked tight. See those doors on the ground? Solid steel, and over two inches thick."</p><p>"Really?" Aqua asked, kneeling down and looking closer at the doors. She grabbed one of them and attempted to lift it, but couldn't bring it up more than a few inches before she had to let go. "Wow. Those must be really sturdy."</p><p>"Yup. Got heavy padlocks and hinges to go with them, too," Mud added. "So, tell me, how'd they get through it?"</p><p>"Uh..." Aqua started, thinking for a moment. "Explosives?"</p><p>"That's how I would get through it, but no. Someone would've heard or seen an explosion," Mud said. "And look around; no blast marks anywhere. Plus, an explosion would have knocked the doors inside; instead, they were pulled outside."</p><p>"Pulled, huh?" Aqua muttered. She took a look at the hinges where the door had been attached; they had been ripped outwards, towards the outside. "Couldn't they have just forced open the door? I don't see why they had to rip the entire thing out of the entrance."</p><p>"Yeah, I'm a bit stumped on that one. Seems excessive," Mud agreed. "So, what's your guess?"</p><p>"If it wasn't explosives, and the doors were pulled outwards instead of forced in..." Aqua thought for a moment. "Honestly, I think this is either the work of someone's semblance, or one of the bandits is just really strong."</p><p>"Yeah, those were my thoughts. If the bandits have somebody strong enough to do this, we'll have to be careful about them," Mud said. "You think you could get through a door like this?"</p><p>"Uh..." Aqua muttered, tapping the door with her foot. "With a lot of water, maybe. But normally? Definitely not."</p><p>"Thought not," Mud said, stepping into the warehouse and gesturing for Aqua to follow her. "Now, what happened next?"</p><p>"Uh, they took a bunch of supplies, right?" Aqua asked. "Wait, how much did they take?"</p><p>"Several dozen crates," Mud said. "There's a ledger in the back corner marking where everything was, so I took a look. It was all of the Dust and food."</p><p>"That's a lot. More than we had on our trip here. That means they would need some way to carry it all back to wherever they took it," Aqua said. She knelt down, noticing faint skid marks on the storehouse floor. " Like a truck."</p><p>"Nice eyes," Mud said. "So, you know that they used a truck to carry all the stuff and make their getaway. What do you do now?"</p><p>"This happened last night, right? There should have been guards patrolling around the border of the town last night. That's what the town guard did every night back in Clearwater," Aqua said. "We should go back to the Palebrook guard. Ask if they saw any trucks coming in or leaving last night."</p><p>"There you go. I already messaged Melony, so hopefully she'll come through with that info," Mud said. "Alright, that should be - "</p><p>"Excuse me, are you Mud?"</p><p>Aqua turned to see a portly man with a bushy moustache wearing a suit and tie standing by the entrance of the storehouse. Though he wasn't completely bald, his gray hair was thinning and his hairline receding, showing much of his scalp.</p><p>"Yeah, who're you?" Mud asked.</p><p>"Pardon the intrusion. I'm Terrence Tinnus, and I'm the mayor of Palebrook," the man said, extending his hand. "I am quite pleased to meet you. I came by to check on the incident, but it seems you are already working on that."</p><p>"Nice to meet you too," Mud replied, shaking Terrence's hand.</p><p>"Melony has talked about you. She told me that she's hoping you'll help solve Palebrook's bandit problem," Terrence said. "She trusts you quite well, to ask you to do it over the local Huntsman."</p><p>"We've worked together before," Mud said. "She knows what I can do."</p><p>"I see. If you need any assistance in your task, please let me know. I've already received your request for the camera footage, and I have someone working to retrieve that for you," Terrence said, turning to Aqua. "And I don't think I've had the pleasure of making your acquaintance?"</p><p>"I'm, uh, Aqua," Aqua said. "I'm training to be a Huntress. Mud's teaching me."</p><p>"Ah, a noble profession to strive for," Terrence said, turning to Mud. "And having an apprentice, at your age. Quite remarkable."</p><p>"Uh, Mr. Tinnus?" Aqua asked. "I have a question, actually. About the storehouse."</p><p>"Oh?"</p><p>"Well, I've been looking around, and I know you had a camera watching the place, but..." Aqua paused. "Were there no guards watching the storehouse? With how much the town depends on the supplies stored here, it would make sense to have someone guard it at night, right?"</p><p>"An astute observation," Terrence said. "Yes, we usually have a guard posted by each storehouse every night. However, last night, Melony contacted us and said that several of her guards were unavailable for the night. Apparently, several guardsmen had come down with food poisoning from that night's dinner... it was quite unfortunate. With the Palebrook guard already spread thin patrolling the town border, we had to forgo having someone guard this storehouse for the night. I suppose it was an unlucky coincidence."</p><p>"Huh," Mud muttered. "Well, thanks for coming by. We'll let you know if we need anything from you."</p><p>"Indeed, and once again, thank you. If there's nothing else you need to ask at the moment, then I shall take my leave," Terrence said, before exiting the storehouse.</p><p>"Alright, so we know what they did when they got here, how they got in, what they took, how they took all of it, and probably how they left," Aqua said, turning back to Mud. "One thing still seems weird to me, though."</p><p>"What?" Mud asked.</p><p>"Why did they come into town to steal the supplies?" Aqua asked. "If I were a bunch of bandits, I would have attacked the supply trucks on the roads outside of town. It would seem easier than sneaking into town to break into a fortified storehouse that should have been guarded."</p><p>"Yeah, that's weird to me too. I don't got all the answers, but something's off," Mud said. "Still, now that we know what happened here, we gotta figure out how to actually deal with the bandits."</p><p>"So, what's the plan?" Aqua asked. "We just need to go and take out the bandits, right? That's probably the fastest way of solving this."</p><p>"Not so fast," Mud said. "I asked Melony a bit about this. She doesn't know where the bandits actually are; all she knows is that they're holed up somewhere in the mountains above Palebrook, and that they usually come down to raid supply trucks along the road leading to the town. This is the first time they've been robbed inside the town."</p><p>"So, how do we figure out where the bandits are?" Aqua asked. "It's not like we can wait for one to come down and ask him where they're all hiding."</p><p>"Funny you should mention that..."</p>
<hr/><p>"And you need to borrow my guards for... what exactly?"</p><p>"Just one or two," Mud said to Melony. After leaving the storehouse, Mud had led Aqua back to the guardhouse, presumably to request help from the Palebrook guard. "We need them to help get the bandits. You got any free today?"</p><p>"I'm not sure. We're already spread quite thin as is," Melony said. "I can't spare much in terms of manpower. I'll ask for volunteers, but I can't guarantee - "</p><p>"Oh, Aqua! Hello!"</p><p>Aqua heard someone call her name, taking her attention away from the conversation between Mud and Melony. She turned and saw Viola exiting the guardhouse.</p><p>"Hey, Viola," Aqua replied. "Sorry I couldn't spar more with you earlier. We got pulled away by something."</p><p>"The investigation, correct?" Viola asked. Aqua nodded. "Understandable. I should thank you for helping with it."</p><p>"It's nothing, really... Mud's probably gonna do most of the work anyways," Aqua said. "She's planning some sort of operation right now. I'm not sure exactly what it is, but she needs some of the guards to help."</p><p>"Then allow me to be the first to volunteer," Viola said. "If I can be of use in order to help in the defense of Palebrook, then I shall gladly offer my sword for this operation."</p><p>"Oh, really?" Mud chimed in, overhearing the conversation between Viola and Aqua. "Sweet. Just need one more."</p><p>"Couldn't help but overhear. You're going after the bandits or something?" Aqua heard someone say. She turned and saw Roland coming in from around the guardhouse. "I suppose I can lend a hand."</p><p>"Well, I guess you'll do," Mud said. "I think four people should be enough."</p><p>"Enough for what?" Aqua asked.</p><p>"Enough for what I've got planned," Mud said, turning to Melony. "You said you don't know where the bandits are holed up, right?"</p><p>"All we know is that they're somewhere in the mountains," Melony said. "That is quite a large range, and we don't know much beyond that. They come down to raid the supply trucks headed to Palebrook."</p><p>"I see." Mud rubbed her chin in thought. "Y'all ship metals and ores out of here, right? Do those get raided?"</p><p>"Not nearly as much," Melony answered. "I would guess that the bandits aren't interested in raw metal ores. They would much prefer food, Dust, and other supplies."</p><p>"How frequently do they come down to raid supplies?" Mud asked.</p><p>"It used to be not too often, but recently, it's almost every regularly-scheduled supply run that comes down," Melony explained. "We have to hire escorts just to get the supplies to Palebrook. I would say the only reason you and Aqua were not attacked was because your supply run wasn't scheduled."</p><p>"Alright," Mud said. She paced in place for a few moments before looking up at Aqua, Viola, and Roland. "So, here's the deal. We're gonna be running a little bait-and-capture operation, with the supply trucks as bait."</p><p>"I see," Viola said. "But what of the 'capture' part? Are we to apprehend the bandits?"</p><p>"Not all of them, just one. We interrogate the guy and get the whereabouts of the bandit hideout. Once we get that, we can take them out," Mud clarified, turning to Melony. "When's the next export run going out, and when's the next supply run coming in?"</p><p>"There's a truck loaded with raw ores headed up north, passing through the farming village of Agrina a few hours up. It will leave in about an hour, so you should be able to catch it," Melony explained. "Conveniently, our next incoming supply run will be arriving from the same area. It should arrive in Agrina this evening and arrive in Palebrook after nightfall."</p><p>"Perfect. We'll catch the truck going out to Agrina," Mud explained. "Then, we'll hitch a ride on the supply run coming down to Palebrook. Chances are, the bandits will target it. We'll capture one of them, take them back to Palebrook, interrogate them, and find the bandit hideout."</p><p>"That's quite a plan," Roland said. "You sure it'll work?"</p><p>"Only if you manage to actually catch someone," Mud replied. "That goes for all of you. We need to capture one of them. Preferably alive, though maybe we'll get lucky and get the location off one of their bodies. We'll move out with the export truck; get whatever you need ready and we'll meet at the north exit of the town in forty-five minutes."</p>
<hr/><p>Aqua stood on the side of the dirt road by the exit to Agrina, next to Mud and Viola. Two trucks were parked in the middle of the road. Unlike the supply run that Mud and Aqua had guarded the other day, these were full-sized trucks, not just pick-up trucks, pulling trailers behind them. However, much like the previous supply run, the trailers attached to the trucks had no roof and were piled high with various supply crates, all destined for Palebrook.</p><p>"So, how are we doing this?" Aqua asked. "There's two trucks, so should we split between them?"</p><p>"That's the plan. I've told the drivers to drive far enough apart so that an ambush doesn't pin down both of the trucks, but close enough so that if one gets ambushed, the other can come to help," Mud explained. "Roland and I will be in the front truck. Viola, Aqua, you two are with the back truck."</p><p>"Huh?" Aqua asked. "But - "</p><p>"Alright, to your trucks," Mud interrupted. As Viola and Roland headed to their respective trucks, Mud took Aqua aside.</p><p>"Shouldn't I be riding with you?" Aqua asked. "Since you're my teacher and - "</p><p>"Aqua, I'm gonna need you to do something for me," Mud said quietly, as if making sure nobody else could hear her. "During the ride, pay attention to Viola. Don't let her do anything without you noticing. You understand?"</p><p>"Sure, but - "</p><p>"Alright," Mud said, grabbing Aqua's hand and slapping a few blue crystals into Aqua's palm. "Here's some water Dust, just in case. You know how to use it."</p><p>"I, uh..." Aqua trailed off as Mud ran off and hopped into the front truck with Roland. She shrugged, walking on over to the back truck. She climbed into the trailer on the back and saw Viola, who was already seated on one of the many crates. Her sword was propped up by her leg, against the crate she was sitting on.</p><p>"Ah, there you are," Viola said. "I assume we will be departing in a moment?"</p><p>"Yeah, Mud and Roland should be ready to go in the other truck," Aqua said. Just then, she heard the truck's engine roar and the trailer started vibrating. The truck began to lurch forward, pulling them away from Agrina and towards Palebrook. The two sat there quietly for a moment. Aqua watched Viola as she looked around, watching the scenery pass by. Why had Mud asked such an odd request of her? She must have had a reason; Aqua made a mental note to ask her later.</p><p>"Forgive me if I am being too forward in asking this," Viola said, breaking Aqua out of her thoughts. "But what is your relationship with Mud? I know that she is training you, but I also see you two working together, and you are helping her with this job. Are you partners? Siblings, perhaps?"</p><p>"What? No!" Aqua exclaimed. "She's just my teacher. I'm trying to get into Beacon and become a Huntress, and she's, well, helping me, so I agreed to help her with a few jobs."</p><p>"Is that so?" Viola asked. "I do not mean to judge her based on the little I have seen of her, but she does not seem to be the teaching type. I have heard that she is a mercenary, not a tutor."</p><p>"Yeah, well, I don't think she's really the conventional teaching type either," Aqua admitted, thinking back to how Mud had been teaching her over the past few days. "We kinda met on the road, while I was traveling up to Vale. She tested me and thought that I was too weak to get into Beacon, so she agreed to help me get into Beacon if I helped her with some jobs."</p><p>"She tested you?" Viola asked. "How so?"</p><p>"We, uh, fought," Aqua said. "She said that if I landed a hit, she'd give me a free ride to Beacon."</p><p>"I presume that you did not land a hit."</p><p>"Yup. She didn't even break a sweat," Aqua said. "At least she didn't send me back home, like she said she would."</p><p>"Back home?" Viola asked. "Where are you from?"</p><p>"Clearwater. It's quite a ways south, along the coast of Vale," Aqua explained.</p><p>"I see... and if I may ask, why did you not want to go back home?"</p><p>"My parents don't really approve of Beacon," Aqua said. "They didn't want me to be a Huntress, said it was too dangerous. So I ran away."</p><p>"Ah, I see," Viola said. "They must be worried. How long has it been?"</p><p>"Just two days," Aqua said. "Honestly, it's not like I want them to worry. It's just, they want me to stay in Clearwater to become a fisherwoman or something, and... I don't want to be tied down by what they want."</p><p>"They seem nice. They have your safety and care as their priority... even if they do not understand what you actually want," Viola said. "In all honesty, I am somewhat envious."</p><p>"Huh?" Aqua asked, sitting up straighter. "What do you mean?"</p><p>"Aqua, I have a question for you," Viola said. "How large is your family? Do you have siblings?"</p><p>"Uh, no," Aqua answered. "It's just my parents and me. I'm an only child."</p><p>"I see." Viola nodded. "I used to live with my parents and my three siblings. Our family's business was quite lucrative; we practically lived like lords or nobles. My father had dark brown hair; my mother's hair was jet black. My siblings were all male, with hair of varying shades of brown or black like their parents. I was the only girl... and the only one with purple hair. Incidentally, the same hair color as one of the younger servants."</p><p>"Like the servant's?" Aqua asked. "Wait, that would mean..."</p><p>"My father was furious. He accused my mother of infidelity, and the servant was fired. However, my father was a businessman above all else; he knew that news of his wife's infidelity could soil the public image of himself and his company," Viola explained. "So he kept the incident quiet, and accepted me as his daughter."</p><p>"He accepted you?" Aqua asked. "That doesn't seem too - "</p><p>"He only accepted me as his daughter," Viola said. "He did not love me, as he loved his sons. I would rarely interact with him; for months at a time, the only times I saw him was when the family ate together at the dinner table, and we would not speak a word to each other. Servants and tutors cared for and raised me; I would speak to them more than I ever spoke to my father."</p><p>"That's... harsh," Aqua said. "Just because you weren't his flesh and blood..."</p><p>"Mother was worse. She would not speak to me, or even look at me. Whenever we were in the same room she would leave, or avert her gaze if she could not leave," Viola continued. "I suspect that act of infidelity was her greatest regret... and thus, so was I. And she could not bear to look at what she thought was the largest mistake in her life."</p><p>"That's horrible!" Aqua exclaimed. "Just because she did something wrong doesn't mean you have to suffer for it..."</p><p>"Unfortunately, that was how my parents thought. It was not as if I was neglected of physical or educational needs and wants; servants still helped me, tutors provided high-class education, and I was given a considerable allowance every month. However, I knew I was not loved in that household," Viola said. "Even my siblings avoided me, following the examples my parents set."</p><p>"So, what did you do?" Aqua asked. "I can't imagine staying with a family that makes you feel so... unwanted."</p><p>"I endured it for some time," Viola said. "However, eventually, I realized that there was no point in staying in that household. My family did not love me, and I had no chance of inheriting any part of the family business, considering my three brothers ahead of me. So, I left."</p><p>"You ran away?" Aqua asked.</p><p>"Yes. It was a few years ago. I felt there was nothing left for me with my family, so I walked out the front door and never returned. Nobody chased me down, or even questioned me," Viola explained. "I think that was for the best."</p><p>"That's... sad," Aqua said. "How did you survive? Didn't you have a fairly wealthy lifestyle, with the servants and all?"</p><p>"Life on the road took some getting used to," Viola admitted. "But I took a modest sum from my family's cash stores when I left to help me get by. I had been previously tutored in swordplay, so I used what combat skills I possessed to earn money through various jobs and contracts."</p><p>"You were a mercenary?" Aqua asked. "Like Mud?"</p><p>"Correct, though from what I have heard of Mud, I was not nearly as successful as she is. It was an unstable and dangerous lifestyle compared to what I knew before, and it did not allow for many of the material comforts I was used to," Viola explained. "However, I preferred it to the dull emptiness that was my life before."</p><p>"So how'd you end up with the Palebrook guard?" Aqua asked.</p><p>"It was... a few months ago. A Grimm extermination job, against a large pack of Beowolves. I managed to take out the pack, but not before the Alpha injured me heavily," Viola said. "I managed to drag myself to the side of the road before I collapsed from my wounds, just outside of Palebrook's border. A guard patrolling by the wall found me and brought me into town for treatment."</p><p>"That's pretty lucky."</p><p>"Indeed... if they hadn't noticed me, I most likely would have bled out," Viola said. "After I woke up, the Palebrook guard let me stay in the guardhouse and helped me recover. Though they had their own routines, the guards would often interact with me while off duty; we would talk, play games, or, in the later stages of my recovery, even spar against each other. When I recovered, Melony gave me an offer to join the Palebrook guard, and I accepted."</p><p>"Really? Just like that?"</p><p>"Indeed. I don't regret the decision; they showed more kindness to me in the few days I had known them than my family ever did. Even if I do move on to somewhere else someday, I will remember my time here fondly," Viola said. "That is why I volunteered for this operation. I wish to serve them and help them defend Palebrook to the best of my ability."</p><p>"Seems like they're nice people," Aqua said. "I guess you fit right in."</p><p>"Thank you."</p><p>The conversation faded, and soon, the two sat in silence, the rumbling of the truck under their feet the only sound to be heard.</p>
<hr/><p>It had been a few hours now. The sun had just gone down, and the shattered moon began peeking over the horizon. Aqua and Viola kept themselves entertained with the occasional conversation, usually about Palebrook or the surrounding area, but most of the ride had been quiet. Remembering Mud's instructions, Aqua kept a close watch on Viola's actions, looking for anything suspicious or unusual. However, she saw nothing of note; nor did Viola ever catch onto Aqua's suspicious gazes.</p><p>"These mountains seem kinda steep," Aqua commented, looking upon the rocky cliffs on the side of the road. To the left of the truck was a steep cliff, rising a little more than a dozen meters over the road. To the right was a sheer drop down a cliff, as well as a short railing installed in hopes of keeping vehicles away from said drop.</p><p>"Indeed. The mountains in this area are quite difficult to traverse without using the designated roads," Viola said. "Thus, it is quite difficult to track down the bandits to wherever they are operating from."</p><p>"That makes sense," Aqua said, looking up at the cliffs. Though night's darkness had all but obscured everything that wasn't in front of the truck's headlights, she thought she could make out vague shapes moving about at the top of the cliffs. <em>Wildlife, maybe? Grimm?</em> Aqua thought. Something glinted in the moonlight, dropping from the top of the cliffs towards the truck.</p><p>Aqua squinted. It was a large red crystal, pulsing with light.</p><p>A fire Dust crystal.</p><p>"Viola!" Aqua shouted, quickly standing up and grabbing the other girl before pulling both of them out of the truck. A bang, the loudest Aqua had ever heard, struck her ears, followed by a great force slamming into her back and flinging her towards the railing by the side of the road.</p><p>Aqua's head slammed against the metal railing, and she blacked out.<b></b></p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>And here's the fourth chapter! Not really much to say here. As always, don't hesitate to leave a comment if you've got anything you wanna say, and the next chapter should be out in about six days or so. Have a good day!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. STRength in Numbers</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>Aqua shot out of the ocean, leaping onto the deck of the boat. Behind her she pulled a net full of fish, which dropped onto the wooden deck behind her. Wasting no time, she picked the net up and dumped the fish into a large plastic tub in the middle of the boat, where she began to sort out the fish, throwing some back into the water while tossing others into another bin beside her.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Make sure to throw out the smaller ones!" Aqua's father yelled out from the side of the boat as he cast a net off into the water. "No point in taking them in now."</em></p><p>"<em>I know, dad!" Aqua shouted back. She spent a few minutes sorting out the fish before heading to the back of the boat to take a break. Stepping into the shade behind the boat's cabin, Aqua sat down on a plastic chair, next to where Resina was already sitting.</em></p><p>"<em>So this is how you fish?" Resina asked. Though Aqua's mother had instructed Resina to stay inside until her sunburned back fully healed, she had insisted on coming out to watch Aqua and her dad on their usual fishing runs early in the morning, though she stayed in the shade most of the time to prevent further damage to her skin. "It seems quite interesting."</em></p><p>"<em>Yeah, maybe for the first few times," Aqua muttered. "I've been doing this for most of my life, so... it gets kinda boring."</em></p><p>"<em>Even with your semblance?" Resina asked. "You said you enjoy being in the ocean... do you not like doing this?"</em></p><p>"<em>Well, yeah, I feel really good in the ocean. I'm strong, and the water does whatever I want it to," Aqua said. "But all I do is drag nets around and grab fish. It's more fun when I'm fighting Grimm... but even that gets boring after a while."</em></p><p>"<em>I see," Resina said. "I think you'd make a great fisherwoman when you grow up. Your semblance seems well-suited for it."</em></p><p>"<em>Yeah, that's what my dad tells me," Aqua said. "It's just... that's not really what I want to do, you know? It's boring out here; all I do is drag fish around, help mom collect medical herbs, and maybe kill the occasional pack of Gnashers. I don't want to be doing that my whole life, you know?"</em></p><p>"<em>I... understand," Resina said. "What do you want to do though?"</em></p><p>"<em>I'm not sure," Aqua muttered. "I haven't really thought that far. Maybe travel through Remnant, see new places... and fight Grimm. That's probably the most enjoyable thing here, and it helps the townsfolk, so..."</em></p><p>"<em>I see," Resina said. "Tell me, do you know what a Huntress is?"</em></p><p>"<em>Not really?" Aqua said. "I've heard the term, but not much more than that."</em></p><p>"<em>I should probably explain it to you then," Resina said. "You see, a Huntress is..."</em></p>
<hr/><p>
  <strong>Chapter 5: STRength in Numbers</strong>
</p><p>"...et up!"</p><p>
  <em>Urgh...</em>
</p><p>"Aqua, wake up!"</p><p>A shout roused Aqua as she awoke. Her head was pounding, and her body ached. She slowly opened her eyes and saw Viola crouched over her. Then, she remembered: they were driving along, there was a fire Dust crystal, and...</p><p>"What happened?!" Aqua exclaimed, shooting up onto her feet. However, Viola grabbed her and pulled her down to the ground. And not a moment too soon; as her rear hit the ground, she saw - no, felt - a bullet whizz by, impacting the road next to her.</p><p>"Keep low," Viola instructed, keeping a hand on Aqua's shoulder. Aqua looked around; they were still on the road, sat up right beside the truck on the side opposite to the cliff face. Her spear was lying on the asphalt beside her. The truck bed was on fire, and waves of heat licked up against Aqua's body.</p><p>"What happened?" Aqua asked again, still slightly dizzy from before. "How long was I out?"</p><p>"You were unconscious for only a few seconds," Viola said. "The supplies were blown up, and we are being assaulted by at least two people on the cliff above. One has some sort of firearm, so unless you wish to get shot, stay behind the truck."</p><p>"What about the truck driver?" Aqua asked, looking around. She saw a body laying on the ground beside her, unmoving. "Is he alive?"</p><p>"He is alive, but unconscious from the blast," Viola said. "If it is any consolation, I do not think they have any other explosives; they would have used them to flush us out otherwise."</p><p>"At least that's something," Aqua grumbled, peeking her head over the flaming truck bed. She looked up towards the cliff above and saw two figures, both obscured by the dark of night. A bright flash came from one of the figures and Aqua ducked, just as another bullet shot through where her head just was. "Looks like we're pinned down..."</p><p>"Do you have any ranged methods of attack?" Viola asked. "I only possess my sword."</p><p>"Nothing that would reach up to them," Aqua said. She grabbed her spear, gripping it tightly as she tried to think of a way out of the situation. "If they weren't shooting at you, could you get both of us up there?"</p><p>"It is approximately fifteen meters up..." Viola said, pausing to think. "It would take me a few seconds of preparation, but yes, I would. Do you have a plan?"</p><p>"I think I might," Aqua muttered, looking up at the burning truck beside them. Gripping one of the water Dust crystals Mud had given her in her other hand, she thought back to what Mud had told her the previous day, after she had pelted Aqua with rubber bullets for hours. <em>Use cover to close the distance, right?</em></p><p>"Tell me when," Viola said, and Aqua nodded. She channeled aura into the water Dust, causing water to gush out and coat her body. When the Dust crystals were finally exhausted, Aqua was surrounded by a mass of water slightly larger than herself. Meanwhile, Viola had slipped a white Dust crystal into her sword, and Aqua felt winds whip around the blade.</p><p>"Now!" Aqua shouted, jumping out from behind the truck and raising her hand. The water surged upwards, spreading out to form an umbrella-like barrier between herself and the bandits on the cliff above. The sounds of gunfire rang out as bullets splashed against the surface of the barrier, but Aqua's barrier was both quite thick and reinforced by her own aura, and the bullets slowed to a stop before they could penetrate the water. Meanwhile, Viola dashed underneath Aqua's barrier, raising her sword and wrapping her other arm around Aqua's body.</p><p>"On the count of three, we both jump," Viola said as bullets continued to splash against Aqua's barrier. "One, two..."</p><p>The "three" was cut off by Viola swinging her sword down. Howling winds erupted from her blade, blasting against the ground and launching the two girls over the truck and towards the cliff. However, instead of sailing up to the top of the cliff where the bandits were shooting down at them, Aqua found herself hurtling towards the rocky cliff wall, towards a spot only halfway up. Thinking quickly, she transferred her spear over to the other hand - making sure to maintain the barrier of water overhead - and grabbed onto a small rock jutting out of the cliff as her body slammed against the cliff with an "oof". She looked to the side to see that Viola had done something similar, grabbing another handhold with her free hand, and was now dangling beside her.</p><p>"Oh shit, Morr! They're actually trying to get up here!" Aqua heard a female voice shout from the top of the cliff.</p><p>"I can see that, Rana," another voice, male this time, responded. More gunfire rained down upon the two, again impacting Aqua's water barrier. Though it still held, Aqua didn't know how long she could keep reinforcing it, nor was she sure if the barrier would hold if she didn't constantly reinforce it with her aura.</p><p>"I thought you could get us up there?!" Aqua asked, turning towards Viola.</p><p>"I apologize," Viola replied, looking up through the barrier of water. "I did not anticipate the extra weight of the water you were carrying."</p><p>"Eh, I guess that's fair," Aqua muttered, looking up towards the oncoming gunfire. "I've got another water Crystal in my pocket. Can you get it for me? Both of my hands are occupied."</p><p>"I will try," Viola said, sheathing her sword. With one hand now free, she reached down into Aqua's pocket and pulled out a blue crystal, charging it with her aura before tossing it towards Aqua. It exploded into a great splash of water upon hitting Aqua's body, and before the water could fall to the ground, Aqua gathered all of it around her spear. Taking a moment to aim at the shadows of the bandits on the cliff, Aqua tossed her spear through the barrier of water, causing the bandits to scatter as the spear flew through where they were standing a moment ago, a tendril of water trailing behind it.</p><p>"Grab on!" Aqua ordered, grasping onto the edge of the cliff with the tendril of water and dropping the barrier, letting the water gather around her body. Viola wrapped an arm around her shoulder and Aqua pulled on the tendril, swinging upwards over the top of the cliff with Viola in tow. As they landed, Aqua grabbed her spear and brought the barrier back up, anticipating another round of gunfire. However, nothing came; instead, she saw a cloaked figure standing further away from the cliff, under a small thicket of trees.</p><p>"Alright, looks like you two actually made it up!" the cloaked figure shouted. It was the female voice from earlier, though Aqua couldn't get a good look due to the hooded cloak she was wearing. Rana; that's what the male voice called her. "I was worried I wasn't gonna have any fun tonight!"</p><p>"Weren't there two of them?" Aqua asked quietly, cautiously watching Rana and bending down to pick up her spear. She still maintained the barrier of water.</p><p>"I do not see the other one," Viola replied, removing the wind Dust crystal from her blade. "However, that does not mean he is not here. We should be cautious."</p><p>"What, you two just gonna stand around and chat?!" Rana shouted, throwing off her cloak to reveal a head of short, orange hair and bright red armor that covered most of her body. She pulled something off her back and set it down. Aqua couldn't tell what it was, other than some sort of large hunk of metal nearly as large as the crates that were in the now-burning truck.</p><p>"What's she doing?" Aqua asked Viola, watching as Rana stuck her arms into two openings in the object, which suddenly split apart. Jagged pieces of metal shifted around Rana's arms, crawling up and gathering in a mass around her hands. As they slowed and stopped, Aqua saw what had formed: two giant metal gauntlets wrapped around Rana's upper arms, each large enough to hold Aqua's entire body. Each individual finger was thicker than Aqua's entire arm, yet Rana seemed to have no problem handling the enormous gauntlets, easily lifting them up and wiggling their giant fingers as if testing them out.</p><p>"Well, if you two aren't gonna come here, I'm gonna go over there!" Rana shouted, leaping towards Aqua and Violet with speed beyond what Aqua was expecting, considering the giant gauntlets on her arms. She drew one of her massive fists back, and Aqua had little doubt that it would break through her barrier like a wrecking ball through tissue paper.</p><p>"Move!" Aqua shouted, gathering back the water from the barrier before leaping to the left. Viola dodged in the opposite direction as Rana's giant fist smashed down, shattering the edge of the cliff. Chunks of earth flew away from the impact and tumbled down towards the road below, several of them larger than Aqua herself.</p><p>"Little shits! Get over here!" Rana shouted, turning towards Aqua. Aqua nervously pointed her spear at Rana, stepping back as Rana moved towards her. Mud had told her to use the range of her spear against her foes with less reach, and the enemy before her was using her fists - but would the length of her spear alone protect her against Rana's enormous strength?</p><p>Then, out of the corner of her eye, Aqua saw Violet sneaking up behind Rana, slotting another crystal into her blade.</p><p>"C-come and get me!" Aqua shouted, trying to direct Rana's attention solely towards her. It seemed to work a little too well; Rana leaped at her with surprising speed, leaving no time for Aqua to dodge to the side once again. Instead, she held up the shaft of her spear, gathering all of her water to form a barrier that was smaller but much thicker than the one before. Aqua knew that she likely wouldn't be able to fully block the attack, and instead aimed to divert it to the side, just enough for Aqua to escape the attack without being smashed into a pulp.</p><p>"Die!" Rana shouted, driving one of her giant fists towards Aqua. The fist plowed through her water barrier like it wasn't even there; even reinforcing the water with her aura did little to stop it, only slowing it slightly. As the great metal fist contacted the shaft of Aqua's spear, Aqua's arms felt as if they had exploded from the pressure of the strike. It took all of her strength just to focus on pushing the fist to the side, to divert the attack even the slightest.</p><p>"Get off her!"</p><p>Aqua heard Viola shout, and suddenly, the power behind the fist crashing down against her spear was cut in half. She looked up to see Viola striking down at Rana with her sword, electricity crackling out of the yellow gem in its handle and running down the blade. Rana had turned and blocked the strike with her other giant fist, gritting her teeth as sparks ran down her metal gauntlets and through her body. However, with her attention turned, Aqua was able to muster up the strength to divert the fist bearing down on her. With a grunt of effort, she pushed the fist to the side, letting it plow past her as she stabbed towards Rana's exposed back.</p><p>
  <strong>BANG!</strong>
</p><p>"Augh!" Aqua shouted in pain as something impacted her hip, sending her crashing to the side. As she tumbled she noticed the ground suddenly give way, and before she knew it, she was over open air, right off the edge of the cliff.</p><p>"Aqua!" Aqua heard Violet shout as she began to fall over the edge of the cliff. Aqua reached out with her free hand, grabbing a rock jutting out of the cliff's edge and grimacing as it dug into her palm.</p><p>"I'm fine!" Aqua shouted back, pulling herself up towards the cliff's edge. As she climbed onto solid ground, she looked up and saw Viola diving away from one of Rana's giant punches, the giant fist shattering the ground where she stood only a moment prior. However, another <strong>BANG </strong>rang out, and Viola cried out as she suddenly and violently tumbled away towards Aqua. Aqua grabbed Viola as she tumbled past, making sure that Viola didn't tumble off the cliff like she did. Instead of pursuing Viola towards the cliff, Rana turned around, putting her back to the two girls.</p><p>"Hey, Morr! Cut the shit! I got these two, so get off my back and stop ruining my night!" Rana shouted into the darkness. Aqua heard no reply, but Rana turned back towards her and Viola, seemingly satisfied. She grinned, flexing her arms and banging her giant fists together. "Sorry, had to set my bro straight. Now that he ain't messin' this up, let's get back to our fun, shall we?"</p><p>"Is she refusing help?" Viola asked quietly, pushing herself onto her feet. Her eyes darted back and forth between Rana and the area behind her obscured by the dark of the night, where Aqua assumed Rana's brother was taking shots from.</p><p>"It's not like she needs it," Aqua replied, standing beside Viola and readying her spear. The water she used before had been blown away by Rana, so she reached into her pocket and grabbed another Dust crystal, quickly converting it into water before mentally commanding the water to cling onto her body. "We need to coordinate; neither of us can take on that kind of strength alone."</p><p>"Do you have a plan?" Viola asked, bringing her blade up.</p><p>"Not much of one. Just try to keep her attention divided between us, and we'll figure something out," Aqua said, remembering back to when she had to withstand Rana's attack. It was only through Viola's intervention that Aqua was able to divert the attack, and Aqua had no doubt that Viola would have needed her help had their positions been swapped. If they wanted to survive, they had to work together and cover each other.</p><p>"You two talking again? Well I ain't waiting!" Rana shouted, leaping once more towards the two girls. This time, Aqua was ready, as she had seen Rana do the exact same thing to open up their fight just a minute prior. Instead of letting Rana separate the two, Aqua and Viola dodged in the same direction, letting Rana blow out another chunk of the cliff with her punch. Shouting in anger, Rana turned towards the two, leaping again as she drew both of her fists back.</p><p>"Get behind her," Aqua said as Viola nodded. She dove forward, rolling under Rana as she flew through the air. Meanwhile, Aqua dodged back, shielding herself with a barrier of water as Rana's fists cratered the ground. Though the attack missed, even the shockwave from an indirect hit was enough to knock Aqua off balance, though she quickly recovered. As Rana pulled her fists from the dirt, Aqua charged forward, gathering water around her spear and thrusting it forward towards Rana's chest.</p><p>
  <strong>CLANG!</strong>
</p><p>"Thought you could get me with that, huh?" Rana asked, reaching up and clapping the spear between her giant metal hands just before it made contact with her chest. Aqua tried to push or pull the spear from her grip, but it didn't budge an inch, trapped by Rana's enormous strength. "I ain't gonna get caught so easily like that."</p><p>"I guess not," Aqua grunted, pulling her water back and letting go of the spear just before Rana wrenched it from her grasp. Instead, she gathered her water around her hands before shooting it forward. A high-pressure stream of water, backed by Aqua's aura, smashed into Rana's face, causing her to cry out and step back, losing her grip on the spear. "Viola!"</p><p>"Right!" Viola shouted from behind Rana, charging her blade with lightning Dust again. Before Rana could regain her footing, Viola slashed downwards, her sword sparking intensely with electricity as it impacted Rana's back. Though Rana's aura resisted the strike, the electricity immediately started coursing through her entire body, easily conducting through the water that Aqua had soaked her in. Yelling in pain, Rana stumbled forward, losing her balance.</p><p>"Now!" Aqua shouted, picking up her spear and aiming a thrust towards Rana's chest once again as Viola stabbed downwards towards Rana's back.</p><p>"You two... can go FUCK OFF!" Rana yelled, digging her foot in the ground and regaining her balance. With a roar, she spun around, swinging her giant gauntlets around her body like wrecking balls. She caught both of the girls in the attack, sending them flying away from her and tumbling across the ground. As they pushed themselves up, Rana chuckled. "I'll admit, that was a cool trick. It ain't gonna work again, though."</p><p>"Ah... darn," Aqua grunted, standing up and raising her spear. The blow had been less severe than one of Rana's full-strength punches, but it had still been enough to take a significant chunk of her aura and bruise her hip. She looked over at Viola, who didn't seem to be faring much better. Though it was hard to tell due to the distance between them, Aqua saw that Viola was panting, rubbing her arm as she winced in pain.</p><p>"Why are you raiding the supply trucks?" Viola asked. "Palebrook needs those to survive!"</p><p>"Why do you think?!" Rana shouted back. "Y'all gonna shoot supplies down the road unguarded, don't cry if they get nabbed! Plus, Chief told us to increase the raids, so here we are!"</p><p>"Chief?" Aqua asked. "Who's that?"</p><p>"Shit, I'm running my mouth here," Rana grumbled. She banged her fists together, the sounds of metal clanking against metal echoing around the cliffside. "Time to shut up and square up! If you want more answers, you'll hafta beat them outta me!"</p><p>"If that's what it takes, then we will!" Aqua shouted back, charging towards Rana with her spear drawn back. Rana raised her giant hands, ready to intercept the spear like she had before, but instead of thrusting her spear forward, Aqua ducked down, sweeping her spear along the ground towards Rana's legs. Caught off guard, Rana barely had time to leap backwards as Viola dashed to intercept, her blade catching the back of Rana's metal gauntlet as she barely blocked her slash in time. Rana brought her other fist back, ready to smash Viola to the ground, but Aqua stabbed into the back of Rana's shoulder before she could launch her fist, causing her to cry out in pain as her aura shimmered.</p><p>"Get off me!" Rana shouted, swinging her gauntlets around herself once again. However, this time, both of the girls were ready for the attack. Aqua kicked backwards, letting Rana's giant fist pass by in front of her as she retreated out of range, while Viola vaulted into the air, flipping forward before slashing her sword down towards Rana's back. The inertia from Rana's gauntlets spinning around her prevented her from drawing them back and defending herself, and Viola's blade crashed down against Rana's back, causing her to cry out in pain once more as she stumbled forward.</p><p>"Aqua, go!" Viola shouted as she backed off, just before Rana swatted at her with the back of her giant fist. Doing so exposed Rana's back to Aqua, who leaped forward, spear drawn back and ready to stab down at Rana's back.</p><p>"Not so fast!" Rana shouted, turning towards Aqua. She reached out with her other giant arm, wrapping her fingers around Aqua's spear and stopping Aqua in her tracks. However, instead of trying to jerk it out of Rana's hands like she did before, Aqua let go of the spear, dodging behind Rana and grabbing a water Dust crystal from her own pocket, converting it into water. A tendril of water snaked out from Aqua's arm, and she threw it forward towards Rana's head, willing it to wrap around her neck before she pulled it tight.</p><p>"I've got her!" Aqua called out to Viola as she pulled with all of her strength. Rana cried out, dropping Aqua's spear and trying to grab at the tendril of water with her giant hands to stop it from strangling her. However, her fingers were too large and bulky to grasp the thin tendril, and she couldn't reach behind herself to swat Aqua away. Viola took the opportunity to dash up behind Rana, changing out the yellow crystal in her sword for a pale blue one before thrusting her sword into Rana's exposed back. Somehow, Rana's aura still held, but she still shouted in pain as the blade stabbed into her back. Ice began to creep onto Rana's back from the point where Viola was stabbing her, quickly climbing it's way over her body. Aqua had to release the tendril of water as the ice made its way towards Rana's head, freezing the water tendril solid and encasing Rana's head in ice. The ice also crawled onto Rana's arms, forcing its way into her gauntlets and freezing them solid. Soon, Rana was little more than a statue of ice frozen to the ground.</p><p>"That should be sufficient," Viola said, panting as she removed her blade from Rana's back. She leaned forward, propping herself on her sword as she regained her breath.</p><p>"Is she... still alive?" Aqua asked, rubbing her aching arms. She looked over the ice encasing Rana, watching for any movement from the girl trapped within. "What did you do to her?"</p><p>"She is fine. In all honesty, I was unsure if that would even take her down," Viola said, removing the now-colorless crystal from her blade. "But ice Dust is powerful, if you are able to apply it properly. Additionally, it helps that she was soaked from before; I have you to thank for that."</p><p>"I see," Aqua said, still looking over the frozen Rana as she grabbed her spear off the ground. She noticed something glowing within the ice; as she stepped closer, she suddenly felt a wave of hot air coming from Rana, despite the cold ice that encased her. "Viola, look ou - "</p><p>The ice suddenly exploded violently, sending Aqua and Viola flying through the air. They hit the ground hard, tumbling across the dirt until they rolled to a stop. Aqua's head ached, her limbs crying in pain as she pushed herself up.</p><p>"What the heck..." Aqua muttered, looking up to see a cloud of steam and fire where Rana was previously frozen to the ground. As the cloud faded, Rana walked into view, her armor and body somewhat scuffed but still in much better shape than Aqua or Viola were.</p><p>"How did she escape?" Viola asked, groaning as she tried to push herself onto her feet, only to fall onto one knee. She drove her sword into the ground, slowly pushing herself back up, but she was panting hard, her head drooping down as she struggled to even remain on her feet. Aqua could tell that she was in no condition to fight - and Aqua wasn't much better off. She doubted what little aura she had would be enough to stand up against Rana's attacks, if she still even had any.</p><p>"Can't believe you two little fuckers got me there for a moment," Rana said with a grin, stepping towards the two girls. "Gotta admit, y'all put up more of a fight than I thought you would. Even forced me to use my semblance."</p><p>"You weren't even going all out?" Aqua asked, realizing that the two of them had been completely outclassed the whole time. She brought up her spear as Rana stepped closer, but her arms were shaky, and she could barely hold the weapon straight.</p><p>"Well, I was trying, besides not using my semblance," Rana said, stretching her arms and closing one of her hands into a fist. "You two were annoying as shit, darting in and out like flies. But in the end, all it takes is one hit of the flyswatter."</p><p>"We... we can still fight!" Viola said, bringing up her sword to stand by Aqua. However, her legs were shaking beneath her, and she looked like she would break at the slightest tap from Rana's fists.</p><p>"Y - yeah!" Aqua said, reaching for her pocket to grab another water crystal, only to realize that she had run out.</p><p>"Well, if you two wanna die that bad, I guess I'll smash you two here before we head on back home," Rana grumbled, clenching her fists tight as she moved closer. She raised her fist, drawing it back to smash the two girls into the dirt.</p><p>
  <strong>BANG!</strong>
</p><p>A gunshot suddenly rang out as Rana's head jerked to the side, the bullet's impact sending her stumbling back as she cried out in pain. Aqua turned to see Mud climbing up over the edge of the cliff, her rifle raised towards Rana. Rana brought up her fists, holding them over her body as a shield, but cried out once again as her legs were shot out from under her, sending her falling to the ground. Before she even hit the dirt, Mud stepped closer and fired off another volley of bullets, nailing Rana in the side and causing her aura to shimmer.</p><p>"Who the fuck are you?!" Rana shouted. She pushed herself up, leaping towards Mud and driving one of her massive fists towards her. Mud swayed to the side, barely dodging the strike as she slipped in close to Rana's body, at some point pulling out a shotgun; Aqua didn't even know from where she grabbed it from. Sticking the barrel straight under Rana's chin, Mud pulled the trigger, blowing her up and away as if she had been hit by one of her own punches. As Rana fell to the ground, her aura shattered, and she groaned, disoriented from the onslaught of bullets. Mud stepped over her, pointing the barrel of the shotgun right in Rana's face.</p><p>
  <strong>BANG!</strong>
</p><p>Mud suddenly leaned back as a bullet sailed through the air, passing through the space where her head just was. Swapping back to her rifle faster than Aqua could see, Mud stepped back, aiming towards the thicket of trees where Aqua had originally seen Rana. She fired off a few quick shots before ducking underneath another bullet. Meanwhile, Rana scrambled onto her feet, making a break for the thicket of trees.</p><p>"Morr, we gotta get the fuck outta here!" Rana shouted. As she passed by the thicket of trees, another cloaked figure dropped down from the branches, landing next to Rana. The two ran off, escaping into the mountains with Mud shooting at their backs.</p><p>"Woulda helped if you told me there was a sniper," Mud muttered, walking up to Aqua and Viola. "You two alright?"</p><p>"Yeah..." Aqua replied, letting out a breath she didn't realize she had been holding. She propped herself up with her spear, her limbs still aching.</p><p>"We appreciate the assistance," Viola added, falling down to one knee as she caught her breath. "How... how did your truck fare?"</p><p>"We were ambushed a bit uproad, same as you two," Mud explained. "Some of the supplies got damaged, but we drove them off and even managed to knock out and capture one of the bandits. Roland's watching the guy, so I figured I'd come down here to help. I guess I had good timing, cause y'all needed it."</p><p>"Our truck's in worse condition... pretty much everything got burnt up," Aqua explained. "Driver's safe, but I guess we'll have to ride with you. And with less than half of the supplies to bring back... will Palebrook be okay?"</p><p>"They'll survive," Mud said. "It'll be tough, and the mayor's gonna have to put out an order to ration the food and Dust they have, but they won't starve or anything. The Grimm though... it'll be tougher for people, and that means moods will be down."</p><p>"I see," Viola said. "That seems quite unfortunate..."</p><p>"Anyways, get some rest. We'll head out in a few minutes," Mud said, turning to Aqua. "By the way, I need to talk to you."</p><p>"Huh?" Aqua asked. "What is it?"</p><p>"Talk to you alone," Mud said, pulling Aqua away as Viola watched them go.</p>
<hr/><p>"... and then you showed up and shot her before she could hit us," Aqua said, finishing her explanation about what happened. "You probably know the rest."</p><p>"Yup," Mud said, nodding. "What exactly did she say?"</p><p>"Something about smashing us into the ground before heading back home?" Aqua said, trying to recall the exact words Rana had said. "Why do you ask?"</p><p>"Just thinking," Mud muttered, rubbing her chin. "And you said that they blew up the truck with a fire Dust crystal?"</p><p>"Yeah... I saw it just in time to save myself and Viola, but the supplies went up in flames, and the truck was totaled," Aqua explained. "Did the same happen with you?"</p><p>"Almost happened," Mud said. "Same thing, fire Dust crystal dropped from the cliffs above. Shot it out of the air, so our truck got off much better than yours. Anyways, what about Viola?"</p><p>"Viola?" Aqua asked. "What about her?"</p><p>"You remember what I asked you before?" Mud reminded Aqua. "Did she do anything suspicious?"</p><p>"Uh... not that I can think of?" Aqua said, not remembering anything out of the ordinary during her ride with Viola. "Wait, what's that got to do with anything?"</p><p>"Just a hunch, but - " Mud began to say before her scroll beeped. She turned around and pulled it out, looking through a message that popped up on the screen. "Ah, good timing."</p><p>"What's that?" Aqua asked, trying to look over Mud's shoulder at the message.</p><p>"Just got news from town, courtesy of the captain of the guard," Mud explained, closing the scroll and turning back towards Aqua. "Walls were just attacked by bandits. No casualties, but a few guys are injured and out of commission."</p><p>"Really?" Aqua asked. "While we were away? That's some bad luck..."</p><p>"It ain't luck, kid," Mud said, looking away and rubbing her chin in thought. "I had a hunch before, but I've seen and heard enough to confirm that it's more than just a hunch. This job might be bigger than I originally thought."</p><p>"Huh?" Aqua said. "What do you mean?"</p><p>"Well, here's the gist of it," Mud said, looking back at Aqua. "Someone's working for the bandits. Someone in town. We got a traitor in Palebrook, and from the looks of it, they're trying to tear down the town from the inside."</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>And here's the fifth chapter! A lot of fighting here, as well as a new development in the case. The chapter title is once again a reference to something that inspired one of the characters; see if you can figure it out. Thanks to those who ead over the past week, and as always, if you've got anything to say, don't hesitate to leave a comment. Have a nice day!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Throwing Stones</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>Whack.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Whack.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Thunk.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>The head of the spear dug into the wooden post. With a sigh, Aqua pulled the spear back, waiting for a moment before she struck again, whacking the side of the post with the head of her spear.</em>
</p>
<p>"<em>What're you doing out here?"</em></p>
<p>
  <em>Aqua jumped a bit, her concentration broken as she looked back to see Resina stepping out the front door. She was wearing a plain nightgown, a spare that Aqua's mother had laying in the closet.</em>
</p>
<p>"<em>I'm just... practicing," Aqua said, turning towards Resina. "Sorry if the noise woke you up."</em></p>
<p>"<em>It's alright, I hadn't gone to sleep yet anyways," Resina said. She looked over the spear in Aqua's hands, then to the wooden post marked with hundreds of cuts and scars. "Do you do this often? Beating up fence posts, I mean?"</em></p>
<p>"<em>I enjoy practicing," Aqua explained. "Fighting is the thing I enjoy most, so I figured I should try to improve... even if my parents don't really think so."</em></p>
<p>"<em>That makes sense," Resina said. "So, what do you think? About becoming a Huntress?"</em></p>
<p>"<em>I'm not sure..." Aqua said as she continued to whack at the post. "It sounds appealing, but..."</em></p>
<p>"<em>But what?" Resina asked. "You're afraid of leaving? I thought you weren't too fond about staying here."</em></p>
<p>"<em>I know, but..." Aqua started to say. She paused for a moment. "I've never really left Clearwater. Like, ever. Plus, I'm not sure what my parents would think about it..."</em></p>
<p>"<em>I'm sure they would understand," Resina said. "I get that they might not like it, but... they'll at least listen to what you want, right?"</em></p>
<p>"<em>I'm not so sure..." Aqua muttered, trailing off. "Wait, are you a Huntress? Is that why you're asking me about this? This isn't some sort of sales pitch, is it?"</em></p>
<p>"<em>Nah, I'm just a wanderer," Resina said. "Though my mother was a Huntress... and I think I might do decently well as one myself, with a bit of training."</em></p>
<p>"<em>Huh? You can fight?"</em></p>
<p>"<em>Somewhat," Resina said with a smile. "I'll still need a few days rest until I'm in fighting shape, according to your mother, but..."</em></p>
<p>
  <em>Resina raised her hand, pointing a finger at the fence post. A small stream of fire shot out, scorching the wood for a moment before she put her hand down.</em>
</p>
<p>"<em>Whoa! That was neat," Aqua said. "Was that your semblance?"</em></p>
<p>"<em>I guess you could say that," Resina said. "Usually I can do a lot more, but... there you go."</em></p>
<p>"<em>That's still pretty cool," Aqua said. "I can control water, but I can't exactly make it out of thin air."</em></p>
<p>"<em>Don't sell yourself short. You've got one of the coolest semblances I've seen," Resina said, leaning against the side of the house. "You mind if I watch you practice?"</em></p>
<p>"<em>Go ahead."</em></p>
<p>
  <em>Resina smiled, watching as Aqua turned back towards the wooden post. The sounds of metal striking wood echoed out for the next hour. Then, the night drew silent.</em>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <strong>Chapter 6: Throwing Stones</strong>
</p>
<p>"A traitor?" Aqua asked. "What do you mean? Someone in Palebrook is cooperating with the bandits?"</p>
<p>"That's about it," Mud said. "Some guy in town is on their payroll, and they're doing more than just stealing supplies. Looks like the bandits might have an interest in the town itself."</p>
<p>"But why?" Aqua asked. "And how do you know?"</p>
<p>"I don't know exactly why," Mud said, opening her scroll again and scrolling through a few of her messages. "But... you remember when we were investigating the storehouse?"</p>
<p>"Yeah..." Aqua said. "Wait, you knew all the way back then?"</p>
<p>"No, just had a hunch," Mud said. She opened up a video clip on her scroll, showing it to Aqua. "Take a look at this."</p>
<p>"Huh?" Aqua looked at the video, which showed the front of the storehouse from a high-up perspective. "This is... the camera footage?"</p>
<p>"Yup," Mud said. "Keep watching."</p>
<p>"Alright," Aqua said, continuing to stare at the screen. After a few seconds, the feed suddenly went blank as the video cut off. "Wait, what happened? Is that when the camera was destroyed?"</p>
<p>"Yup. Notice anything odd?"</p>
<p>"Uh..." Aqua thought for a moment. "It was just the front of the storehouse. Nobody was there until the camera was suddenly destroyed... which means that whoever destroyed the camera made sure that they weren't spotted. That means they knew the camera was there!"</p>
<p>"Exactly. And I don't think some bandits from the mountains would care about, or even know about, that camera," Mud said. "Somebody doesn't want to be seen doing this. Plus, remember the crates that were taken? It was all the food and Dust; they left all the nonessential stuff, like equipment and tools. Why do you think they did that?"</p>
<p>"They probably couldn't carry all of it?" Aqua proposed. "So they only took all the important stuff."</p>
<p>"But how did they know what was what?" Mud asked. "Dark storehouse in the middle of the night with all the crates sealed tightly... if you were a bandit, how could you tell what was what?"</p>
<p>"If I were a bandit..." Aqua muttered. "I would probably smash open the top of the crates, right? To see what was inside?"</p>
<p>"But none of the crates left in the storehouse were smashed open," Mud said. "And I doubt they got really lucky and just happened to land on every food and Dust crate while missing all the stuff they didn't want."</p>
<p>"Then how would you tell... oh, right!" Aqua said, suddenly remembering what Mud had told her during the investigation. "The ledger in the back of the storehouse! That would tell you where all the food and Dust would be!"</p>
<p>"And what's the odds of some bandit in a dark storehouse at night stumbling across that ledger, tucked in the back corner of the warehouse?" Mud said. "Whoever stole all that stuff, they'd been there before."</p>
<p>"And they knew the storehouse wouldn't be guarded that night, somehow," Aqua said. "Which means that they're either part of the guard, or knew what was going on with members of the guard. That's why you had me watch Viola."</p>
<p>"Yup," Mud said. "Not saying it's her, but she's a possibility."</p>
<p>"But what made you go from a hunch to being sure that there was a traitor?" Aqua asked. "You only seemed sure just now."</p>
<p>"Three things," Mud said. "First, Melony got back to me while I was sitting in the truck. Said that the guards saw no trucks entering or leaving the city on the night of the heist."</p>
<p>"Which means that whoever stole the supplies is keeping them in the city," Aqua guessed. "I doubt the bandits have anywhere to stash stuff in Palebrook, so..."</p>
<p>"Means their goal is to deprive the town of supplies, not take them for themselves," Mud said. "Second, the message I just got about the walls being attacked. I think you can guess why."</p>
<p>"Because the town was missing a guard, a Huntsman, and a mercenary," Aqua said. "They must have gotten word about this operation."</p>
<p>"Yup. We weren't exactly keeping it a secret, but if the bandits heard about it, that means they had an ear in town, and wanted to take advantage to take out some of the guards" Mud said. "And the third thing was the attack on the trucks."</p>
<p>"Huh?" Aqua asked. "But don't they regularly raid supply runs? That's why we came out here in the first place."</p>
<p>"That's true," Mud said. "But it's not the what, but rather the how. You remember how they ambushed you?"</p>
<p>"A fire Dust crystal. They blew up the truck... and the supplies with it." Aqua said, recalling the fiery explosion that knocked her away from the truck. "Wait, that doesn't make sense. Why would they do that? Unless..."</p>
<p>"Their target was never the supplies," Mud finished. "They knew we were waiting in those trucks, and they wanted to blow us up before we had a chance to take them out. Even sounded like that girl with the big-ass fists - Rana, you said her name was - didn't even care about the trucks or the supplies. Just wanted to pound you two into the ground before heading home."</p>
<p>"So, there's somebody working for the bandits in Palebrook," Aqua said. "Do you know who it is?"</p>
<p>"Not yet," Mud admitted, rubbing her finger against her chin. "This isn't a sure thing, but I don't think it's Melony; she knows what I can do. If she was helping the bandits, she wouldn't have hired me in the first place. Beyond that, I don't have a good idea, other than they somehow know the movements of the guards... though hopefully our bandit friend that we captured would be willing to tell us. Now come on, let's go. One of the trucks is still operational, so we'll use that."</p>
<p>"Alright..." Aqua said, thinking for a moment. "I probably shouldn't tell anyone else about this, should I?"</p>
<p>"That's right. We don't know who the rat could be," Mud said. "Until we have a better lead, keep this quiet."</p>
<p>Aqua nodded, and the two went to join back up with Viola before heading back down to the road, making their way towards the one truck still working.</p>
<hr/>
<p>By the time they got back to Palebrook, one unconscious bandit in tow, the clock had nearly struck midnight. Roland and Viola took the bandit to the city jail, while Aqua and Mud made sure that the truck had made its way safely back to one of the storehouses and helped to unload the supplies that weren't destroyed. Then, Aqua followed Mud back to the inn they had stayed at the previous night, where she promptly fell fast asleep. The next day, Mud once again woke Aqua early, leading her out of the inn and into town.</p>
<p>"Where are we going?" Aqua asked as they walked down the street. Mud had led them into what seemed to be the market district of the town, with shops and stalls set up along the sides of the road.</p>
<p>"Looking for a place to restock," Mud replied, her eyes wandering and scanning across the various shops. They locked onto one - <em>Arnand's Armaments, </em>the sign said - and Mud pulled Aqua into the shop. Racks of weapons and shelves full of ammunition lined the walls of the shop, along with several cases of miscellaneous items like knives, grenades, and Dust crystals.</p>
<p>"Welcome to Arnand's Armaments. How can I help you?" the man at the counter asked. After quickly giving a greeting of her own, Mud proceeded to list off several names and numbers, none of which Aqua had ever heard before. The man nodded at each item, somehow keeping track of everything as Mud rattled on and on. Finally, Mud stopped, turning to Aqua.</p>
<p>"Hey! You want a gun?"</p>
<p>"What?" Aqua asked. "Uh..."</p>
<p>"You said that you were having trouble when they were shooting down at you from the cliff, right?" Mud asked. "If you want some way to hit some guy who's too far away for your spear, a gun's gonna do the trick."</p>
<p>"I..." Aqua thought for a moment, looking over the various firearms hanging on the walls of the shop. While Mud wasn't wrong, the guns in front of her seemed oddly cold and imposing - she was nervous about just handling them, letting alone firing them at an enemy. "I don't think I want one right now."</p>
<p>"Suit yourself," Mud said, turning back towards the man at the counter, rattling off a few more items as he continued to nod. After she finished, the man stepped into a back room, and Aqua heard him rummage around before coming out holding various cases and containers of various sizes, setting them down on the counter. Mud handed over a wad of lien before stuffing everything into her backpack and various pockets. Then, she thanked the man and stepped towards the exit, gesturing for Aqua to follow her.</p>
<p>"Where now?" Aqua asked as they walked down the street, out of the market area and towards the edge of town. "Shouldn't we be helping with the investigation?"</p>
<p>"Not now. Here, catch," Mud said, tossing a small leather bag at Aqua. She caught and opened it to see that it was filled with Dust crystals of various colors. "Melony and the town guard are watching over the captured bandit at the town jail. I'll meet up later to help with interrogation, since we gotta figure out where the rest of the bandits are holed up, but for now, I think we're just gonna let him stew a bit."</p>
<p>"So what are we doing now?" Aqua asked, hooking the bag to her waist.</p>
<p>"What do you think? I'm not stopping your training just 'cause we're in the middle of a job. We still gotta get you ready for that Beacon exam," Mud explained. She led Aqua out of town and into the forest surrounding Palebrook, taking her into a clearing similar to the one where she had shot rubber bullets at Aqua two days prior.</p>
<p>"What are we training?" Aqua asked. "And why'd you give me all this Dust? I only really know how to use the water crystals..."</p>
<p>"And that's a problem," Mud said. "But not your only problem. If you don't wanna use a gun, you're gonna have to find some other way to attack at range. How far can you extend your semblance, by the way?"</p>
<p>"Uh..." Aqua grabbed a water crystal from the bag, turning it to water. She raised her arm, extending a tendril outward as far as she could. "About that much?"</p>
<p>"Huh... looks about a dozen meters," Mud muttered, looking up and down the tendril, which grew thinner and thinner until it tapered off at the end. "And you can't go any further?"</p>
<p>"If I push it, but I'd have a hard time supporting it beyond that," Aqua explained, retracting the tendril and wrapping the water around her shoulders. "I can go somewhat further in the ocean though, both with controlling and sensing stuff."</p>
<p>"I see," Mud said. She bent down and picked up a rock off the ground, throwing it up and catching it in her palm. Then, she lazily tossed it at Aqua. "Take this and see how far you can throw it."</p>
<p>"Huh?" Aqua caught the rock, holding it in her hand for a moment. Then, she drew her arm back before chucking the rock into the air. It landed several dozen feet away. "Like that?"</p>
<p>"Alright, try again," Mud said, tossing Aqua another rock. "This time, use your semblance."</p>
<p>"My semblance?" Aqua asked as she looked at the rock, confused. "You know I control water, right? Not rocks?"</p>
<p>"You can still throw shit though," Mud asked. "You know how a sling works, right? Hold the rock in one of your water tentacle things, whip it around, sling it forward, and let it go. You're gonna be throwing a lot faster and harder using a long arm like that instead of your actual arm."</p>
<p>"Okay...?" Aqua said, still skeptical. She formed another tendril, picking up the rock with it and drawing the tendril back behind her head before quickly slinging it forward, releasing the rock. The rock shot forward, quickly flying by where her first throw had landed before sailing straight across the clearing. It hit a tree, shattering into pieces against its trunk. "Oh, huh. That worked pretty well. Seems kinda... primitive, though."</p>
<p>"Just cause something's old doesn't mean it's bad. Beating a guy over the head with a rock still works as well today as it did a thousand years ago," Mud said. She reached into her pocket and took out a fire Dust crystal. "I wanna do a little more experimenting with your semblance. Here, take this."</p>
<p>"Uh... okay," Aqua said nervously, reaching out and taking the red crystal. She still remembered Mud's warnings about fire Dust, and how a similar crystal had nearly blown her up. "What now?"</p>
<p>"When you told me about your semblance, you said you felt like the water was another limb or something?" Mud asked. Aqua nodded; when she was using her semblance, the water felt like an extension of her own body rather than just some tool to be manipulated. "Well, let's see how literal that is. I want you to hold the crystal in one of your tentacle things and try to activate it with your aura."</p>
<p>"Are you sure?" Aqua asked, questioning the safety of the experiment. Regardless, she grabbed the crystal with a tendril of water, holding it out nearly the full twelve meters before starting to concentrate on it. She willed her aura to pass through the water and into the fire crystal, activating it like she had done multiple times with the water crystals from before. After a few seconds, the crystal began to pulse, glow brighter, and -</p>
<p>
  <strong>BOOM!</strong>
</p>
<p>Aqua shielded her eyes, stumbling back as the heat from the explosion hit her head-on. Though all of her water had been blown away, she was far enough away that the blast did little more than throw her off balance for a moment. She looked to the side at Mud, who seemed to be unfazed, looking directly at the explosion as she rubbed her chin in thought.</p>
<p>"Huh. That actually worked," Mud said, turning to Aqua as the explosion faded. "You'll need some practice, but I think we got a way to cover for that range disadvantage of yours."</p>
<p>"Wait, you mean..." Aqua began to say as she put the pieces together in her head. "You want me to chuck Dust crystals at people?"</p>
<p>"Why not? You got a good throwing arm with your semblance, and a well-placed crystal can do some good damage. You'd basically be a human grenade launcher," Mud explained, handing another crystal to Aqua, though this one was a pale blue in color - the same color as the one Viola had used to freeze Rana. "Activate the crystal - though don't put as much aura into it, you don't want it exploding again - and see if you can nail the tree you hit with the rock earlier."</p>
<p>"Uh, alright," Aqua said, grabbing another water crystal from the bag to make a new tendril of water and using it to pick up the ice crystal. She poured her aura into the crystal until it began to glow and pulse, then slung it towards the tree like she did with the rock. However, the crystal smashed against the ground a few meters from the tree, exploding into a jagged mass of ice and freezing the surrounding area.</p>
<p>"Looks like we're gonna have to work on your aim," Mud said. "But it's a start. Those dust crystals are gonna be useful, even when you're not chucking them at people. Keep them on you."</p>
<p>"How should I use them?" Aqua asked. "I mean, I know I can throw them at long range, but what else?"</p>
<p>"Honestly? It's your semblance. Take a bit of time, experiment with what you can do. Water interacts with the other elements in lots of ways, so get creative," Mud said. "I'll resupply you whenever you start running low."</p>
<p>"I - I'll try," Aqua said, opening the bag and staring at the variety of crystals. After a moment, she looked back at Mud. "Uh... could you go over what all these do again? I kinda forgot..."</p>
<p>"Figures..." Mud grumbled, taking the bag from Aqua. She reached in and grabbed a brown crystal. "This is rock Dust. As you can guess, it makes rocks, which means it's probably not gonna make a good explosion or anything, but..."</p>
<hr/>
<p>Aqua concentrated on the ice crystal suspended in the bubble of water as it slowly began to glow, pulsing with greater and greater intensity as she fed more and more aura into it. The crystal quickly started to dissolve, and the bubble froze solid around it nearly immediately. The thin tendril that Aqua had connected to the bubble quickly froze over as well, and Aqua dropped it just before the ice reached her body, letting the whole thing fall to the ground.</p>
<p>"Darn... I guess I gotta use more water, or less ice," Aqua muttered, taking another water crystal and ice crystal out of her bag. However, before she could convert the former crystal to water and try the experiment again, out of the corner of her eye she noticed a figure in red armor pop out by the edge of the clearing.</p>
<p>"Hey!" Roland said, stepping into the clearing and approaching Aqua. "What're you doing out here?"</p>
<p>"Uh... training?" Aqua asked, putting the crystals back in the bag and turning towards Roland. "What about you?"</p>
<p>"I'm just patrolling around the outskirts of town. Grimm sometimes like to gather outside the walls, so I like to go through once in a while, thin out the population," Roland explained, looking around the clearing and seeing the results of Aqua's tests: scorched patches of grass, piles of rocks and mud, balls of ice strewn across the clearing, and more. "Training, huh? What exactly are you training?"</p>
<p>"Trying to figure out how to use Dust effectively," Aqua said. "Mud told me that I should experiment around a bit, so here I am."</p>
<p>"Mud, huh? Impressive girl, she is. Saw her at work myself last night," Roland said. "Saved our truck by shooting a fire Dust crystal out of the air and almost single-handedly drove off the bandits attacking us. I kinda helped by knocking out that one bandit, but honestly, she did most of the work... and you said she's teaching you?"</p>
<p>"That's about right," Aqua said. "She's training me to be a Huntress... well, a Huntress-in-training. I'm trying to get into Beacon by taking the entrance exam."</p>
<p>"Beacon, huh?" Roland said. "I dunno what it's like at Beacon, but if it's anything like Shade, then you'll have your work cut out for you."</p>
<p>"You said you were a Huntsman, right?" Aqua asked. "You went to Shade? What was it like?"</p>
<p>"It was... hard," Roland said, rubbing his chin. "Not exactly a cakewalk, but if you've got the strength and the guts to push yourself through it, then you'll come out a changed man... or woman, in your case."</p>
<p>"I see," Aqua said. She got a bit nervous; if just passing the entrance exam was a significant obstacle for her, how would she fare in Beacon itself? Especially without Mud to push her along... she was probably the only reason Aqua would have had a chance to get into Beacon in the first place. "You know what it's like at the academies... how well do you think I would do?"</p>
<p>"Well, I can't say for sure," Roland said. "But if you get in, that means that you should be able to keep up in there. Otherwise, they wouldn't have even let you in. Even if you do fall a bit behind, your teammates will be there to pick up the slack."</p>
<p>"Oh right... Huntsmen and Huntresses are usually put in teams of four, right?" Aqua asked. "Where's your team?"</p>
<p>"I..." Roland's face suddenly fell, and he looked away for a moment.</p>
<p>"S - sorry! I didn't mean to pry," Aqua said.</p>
<p>"No, it's fine," Roland said. "I'd just... rather not talk about it."</p>
<p>"I see," Aqua said. The two fell quiet for a few moments, awkwardly looking around.</p>
<p>"Anyways, where's Mud?" Roland asked, breaking the silence. "Shouldn't she be training you?"</p>
<p>"She was, up until about ten minutes ago," Aqua explained. "She just headed back into town to grab us lunch and get some supplies. We were practicing dealing with attackers at long range, and some other stuff."</p>
<p>"Really? Like, guns and stuff?" Roland asked, his eyes scanning over Aqua's body. "But I don't see any firearms on you."</p>
<p>"Ah, we actually visited the gun store earlier this morning," Aqua said. "Mud asked if I wanted to buy a gun... but I didn't. I don't think I'd feel too comfortable with one."</p>
<p>"I understand. Feels kinda odd wielding something so cold and impersonal," Roland said. "Have you thought about using a hybrid or mecha-shift weapon instead? Those might suit you better."</p>
<p>"Hybrid? Mecha-shift?" Aqua asked, confused. "What's that?"</p>
<p>"Well, it's - actually, I think it would be better for me to show you myself," Roland said, grabbing his giant sword from his back and pointing it towards the trees at the edge of the clearing. He pressed a button on the hilt, and suddenly, the sword split in half across the flat of the blade, the two parts separating as what looked like a giant gun barrel came together between the two halves. Roland pressed another button on the hilt, and something too fast for Aqua to identify shot out from the barrel, hitting the trees and causing a huge explosion on impact.</p>
<p>"What was... what?!" Aqua exclaimed, watching as the blade came back together into the sword she saw before. "What was that?"</p>
<p>"This is Balrog; she's a giant sword that shifts into a cannon. Made her myself," Roland explained. "Huntsmen and Huntresses usually use personally-made hybrid or mecha-shift weapons like these; you've got gun-knives, axes that turn into rifles, brass knuckles that work as machine guns, and a lot more. A lot more appealing than those standard firearms, don't you think?"</p>
<p>"Yeah, that was pretty cool," Aqua said. She thought for a moment, wondering if she should look into getting something like that. Obviously not the giant sword-cannon that Roland had, but whatever would fit her best. <em>I wonder why Mud doesn't use anything like that...</em></p>
<p>"Well, it's been nice chatting, but I gotta make my rounds," Roland said as he started towards the edge of the clearing. "Forest ain't gonna clear itself of Grimm."</p>
<p>"See you around," Aqua said, watching Roland run out of the clearing and back into the forest. She turned back and looked down at the bag of Dust crystals at her waist, ready to start training again.</p>
<hr/>
<p><em>Hmm... </em>Aqua thought, looking at the cloud of mud suspended in the air. She ran a hand through, testing the consistency, then let it drop to the ground with a splat. <em>Nah, too watery. Less water Dust, more rock Dust...</em></p>
<p>"Hey!" Aqua heard someone shout. She turned to see Mud stepping into the clearing, a half-eaten sandwich in one hand and a small, wrapped package in the other. She tossed the package over to Aqua. "Got you your lunch. Hope you like roast beef, cause it's all they had."</p>
<p>"Thanks," Aqua replied, catching the package and unwrapping it to find a roast beef sandwich. While it wasn't her favorite food or anything, she didn't dislike roast beef, and it was certainly better than the fish she'd been eating for most of her life, so she eagerly took a bite.</p>
<p>"So, what've you been up to? Looks like you've been busy," Mud said, scanning her eyes over the clearing. Aqua noticed her gaze stop on the trees which Roland had shot, which were now smoldering stumps. "Whoa, you did that?"</p>
<p>"Actually, Roland stopped by on his patrol. That was him," Aqua explained. "His weapon was pretty cool. It could shift from sword to cannon and back; he said he made it himself. Apparently, it's a pretty common thing with Huntsmen and Huntresses. Do you think - "</p>
<p>"No."</p>
<p>"Huh?" Aqua asked. "What's wrong with - "</p>
<p>"You are not getting a hybrid weapon, or a mecha-shift weapon, or any other fancy show-off Huntsman thing as long as you're training under me," Mud said, glaring at Aqua as she took a bite of her sandwich. She chewed for a moment before swallowing. "Those things are unreliable pieces of shit, and too complicated for their own good."</p>
<p>"What do you mean?" Aqua asked. "Roland's worked just fine when he showed it to me."</p>
<p>"You know how many moving parts those things have, just so they can go from form to form? They'll probably jam and blow up on you if you spend less than five hours each night on maintenance," Mud continued. "Not to mention repairs! If I break part of my rifle, I can just head on over to the nearest gun shop and get that part replaced. Huntsman breaks some gears and levers in his special custom-made hand-crafted mecha-shift weapon, who's he gonna call? I dunno, but he's probably gonna have a harder time than I did!"</p>
<p>"You seem, uh... passionate about this," Aqua said.</p>
<p>"Yeah, you know why? Cause those weapons are stupid. Even the hybrid ones without moving parts. You want a gun and a knife?" Mud pulled out a knife from her waist, flipping it in the air and catching it as she drew her pistol. "Just have a gun and a knife. Trusty, reliable, and even if you manage to lose one, you still have the other. Don't make some fucking stupid custom gunblade hybrid or pistol-knife mechashift or some other bullshit. Most I'll tolerate is putting a bayonet on a rifle, but nothing more."</p>
<p>"I get it, I get it. No weird custom weapons. I'll stick with my spear," Aqua said as Mud put her knife and pistol away. "Anyways, I've been experimenting around with the Dust crystals. I have a few ideas about how I can use them in a fight, though I think I need to practice them more."</p>
<p>"Good. Practice makes perfect, so keep on that," Mud said, taking another bite of her sandwich. She reached into her pocket and grabbed a handful of dust Crystals. "You need a refill? I picked up some more on the way back."</p>
<p>"Thanks," Aqua said, taking the crystals and putting them in her bag. She remembered back to when Mud had intercepted Rana the previous day, how easily she had dealt with her. "You seem pretty good at what you do... how much have you practiced?"</p>
<p>"Long time, kid, though my skills don't come from just practice," Mud said, rubbing her chin in thought. "What you saw the other day was the result of a dozen years of training and experience. You'll get there eventually."</p>
<p>"That much?" Aqua asked. "Wait, how old are you?"</p>
<p>"I think she started teaching me when I was... five? Maybe six," Mud said. "That answer your question?"</p>
<p>"Five or six..." Aqua muttered, going over the numbers in her head. "Wait, that means you're seventeen or eighteen. You're only a year or two older than me!"</p>
<p>"So?"</p>
<p>"So stop calling me kid!"</p>
<p>"Look, as long as you're still some greenhorn who can't get into Beacon, you're still a kid to me," Mud said. "Gonna take a bit before you can get me to stop calling you otherwise. You're getting there, though."</p>
<p>"Fine..."</p>
<p>"Anyways, Melony's heading down to the jails to interrogate the captured bandit soon, so I'm gonna head back to town to help her. You might wanna head back too, since it looks like you've been out here for a while," Mud said. Aqua nodded; she had been practicing basically all morning. "Might wanna head back to the guardhouse and wait for me. If the bandit ain't cooperative... well, I'll have to work on him for a bit. Don't think it'll be fun to watch."</p>
<p>"If that's the case, I guess I can pay Viola a visit," Aqua said. She and Viola had been too tired to say anything on the way back, so they hadn't talked since their fight with Rana. "It'll be nice to see how she's doing."</p>
<p>"There we go," Mud said, turning around and heading towards town. "Come on, let's move."</p>
<hr/>
<p>Aqua opened the door, stepping into the guardhouse as she looked around. The walls were lined with bunk beds, in a style similar to what Aqua imagined an army barracks would look like. In the back were several open doors, leading to what seemed like a bathroom, a kitchen, and a storage room. Though most of the guards seemed to be out at the moment, Aqua spotted a familiar purple-haired girl resting on one of the lower bunks.</p>
<p>"Viola!" Aqua called, quickly stepping over.</p>
<p>"Oh, Aqua!" Viola exclaimed, turning towards her. "It is good to see you. We have not had the chance to talk since the fight, have we?"</p>
<p>"Yeah... that was some fight, wasn't it?" Aqua asked, sitting on the bunk next to Viola's. "How're you holding up?"</p>
<p>"I am fine, thank you for asking," Viola said. "I just needed to take the morning to rest... that altercation took more out of me than I had anticipated."</p>
<p>"Yeah, no kidding," Aqua said. "That girl was absurdly strong... I'm surprised we even got her to use her semblance."</p>
<p>"I think it did feel quite good though," Viola said. "Our coordinated attacks and impromptu strategies... we did not even communicate, and yet we were able to do considerable damage together. Against a lesser opponent, that may have been our victory."</p>
<p>"That's true..." Aqua said. "You know, I heard Huntsmen often fight alongside partners. They learn to work together on the battlefield as a single unit, covering for each other. I guess that was a little taste of what's coming if I get into Beacon."</p>
<p>"When."</p>
<p>"Huh?"</p>
<p>"When you get into Beacon," Viola clarified. "Between our spar yesterday and the fight on the cliff, I observed significant improvement, despite that it had been less than a day. Even if you are incapable of entering Beacon at the current moment, I believe you have the potential to pass the entrance exam by the time you reach Vale."</p>
<p>"I... I'm glad that you think so," Aqua said. "What about you?"</p>
<p>"What do you mean?"</p>
<p>"I mean, have you ever thought about going to Beacon?"</p>
<p>"I..." Viola looked away for a moment, then back at Aqua. "I never really gave it a thought. Being a Huntress just seemed like something I would not be able to accomplish. I was barely successful as a mere mercenary, after all."</p>
<p>"But that doesn't mean you can't become a Huntress, right?" Aqua asked. "Before I left Clearwater and met Mud, I was just some girl with a spear who couldn't handle a couple of bandits. Now, you're saying that I'm on my way to getting into Beacon. No reason you can't do the same, right?"</p>
<p>"You are... correct, I suppose," Viola said. "But... I have been with the Palebrook guard for some time now. They have helped me get back on my feet, and been my companions for quite a while. If I were to leave for Beacon, especially during this troubled time for the town... I feel as if that would be inappropriate."</p>
<p>"Look, we'll wrap up this investigation soon. That way, the town will get back on its feet, and you can train and head to Beacon without leaving the guard understaffed," Aqua explained. "And if it's the thought of leaving the rest of the guard behind that's holding you back, well, I don't think they'd want that."</p>
<p>"I... that is true, I suppose," Viola said. After a moment of silence, she stepped out of bed and stood up. "Well, I believe I have rested enough for today. Since you are here, how would you feel about having another sparring match?"</p>
<p>"I guess I gotta pay you back for yesterday," Aqua replied, standing up and heading for the door. "Come on, I got some new stuff I wanna try out."</p>
<p>"I am eager to see what you have in store," Viola said, going to one of the many lockers lining the back wall. She opened it up, taking out her blade before going to follow Aqua.</p>
<hr/>
<p>"Where did you learn that technique?" Viola asked, panting as she lowered her blade from Aqua's neck, setting back at her waist. "I have not seen anything like it."</p>
<p>"Made it up myself," Aqua replied, also breathing hard as she pushed herself up into a sitting position. "This morning, actually. You aren't the only one who can use ice Dust, you know?"</p>
<p>"It was certainly... unique," Viola remarked, holding her hand out. Aqua reached up and grabbed it, allowing Viola to pull her onto her feet. "I believe it would be hard to replicate without your specific semblance."</p>
<p>"I guess that's true," Aqua said, stepping over to a water tap protruding from the side of the guardhouse. She turned it on and moved her hand under the faucet, collecting the water with her semblance and directing it to her mouth in order to drink. After she got her fill, she directed the water over to Viola, pushing it towards her face. "Come on, you should drink up after a spar like that."</p>
<p>"This is..." Viola said hesitantly. "Is this sanitary?"</p>
<p>"Don't worry about it, I haven't actually touched it. I'm just redirecting it," Aqua explained. "Besides, it's easier than bending down under a three-foot-high faucet."</p>
<p>"I suppose so..." Viola muttered, reaching forward and sucking up the water as Aqua directed it into her mouth. After a few moments, she suddenly turned to the side, sputtering and coughing.</p>
<p>"Ah, sorry!" Aqua exclaimed, letting the water drop. "Did I give you too much? I've never really done that with anyone else, so..."</p>
<p>"I am fine, the water just went down the wrong way," Viola said, wiping her lips. "I am unsure about whether you have considered this... but have you ever thought about trying to suffocate people with your semblance?"</p>
<p>"What?" Aqua asked, surprised by the sudden topic shift. "Well, uh..."</p>
<p>"If you can control water, you could attempt to hold a sphere of water around an opponent's head, or force water into their mouth and nose. It would be similar to what you just did, except with much greater force," Viola explained. "Such a technique would be difficult to counteract. If you could keep them within your semblance's range, you could drown them on dry land, even if they had their aura up."</p>
<p>"That's, uh, kinda... morbid," Aqua said. "I never really thought about using my semblance that way."</p>
<p>"Forgive me, that was simply a thought of mine," Viola said. "If you find the idea uncomfortable, then please, disregard it."</p>
<p>"No, I get it, you're just trying to help," Aqua said. Though she didn't think she would do anything like that anytime soon, she still kept the idea in the back of her mind, rather than discarding it right away. "Don't get me wrong, I think it might be effective, it's just... I feel like it's not something a Huntress would do. Seems kinda cruel, forcing someone to drown."</p>
<p>"I understand," Viola said. "I believe I have had enough sparring for today; you have certainly improved quite much since yesterday."</p>
<p>"Not enough to beat you, looks like," Aqua replied. "Wanna head back in, get some rest?"</p>
<p>"Certainly," Viola said, and the two made their way to the entrance of the guardhouse, where they saw the door already open.</p>
<p>"Huh," Aqua muttered, peering inside. She saw Mud, Melony, and two guards inside, huddled around one of the lockers in the back of the room. "Looks like they're done with the interrogation. Isn't that your locker they're looking at?"</p>
<p>"It seems so," Viola replied, stepping into the guardhouse and approaching the group. "Excuse me? Is something the matter?"</p>
<p>"Something is, in fact," Melony said, turning to face Viola. "Restrain her."</p>
<p>"Huh? What is the meaning of this?" Viola asked as the guards circled behind her, grabbing her arms and holding them behind her back.</p>
<p>"Yeah, what the heck's going on?" Aqua added, stepping up before being stopped by a glare from Melony.</p>
<p>"Viola Vance," Melony said, stepping forward and taking Viola's blade from her waist. "You are under arrest on suspicion of theft, collaboration with criminal outlaws, and conspiracy against Palebrook and its citizens. Guards, take her away."</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>And there's chapter six! A bit more relaxed than the previous chapter, but it looks like things are starting to pick up. Aqua's developing her skills, the bandits have their sight on the town and... Viola! Anyways, if you've got anything to say, positive or negative, comment or criticism, please don't hesitate to leave a comment below, as I would absolutely love to hear what you've got to say about the story, no matter how short or long your thoughts are. It would make my day to see what you all think of the story so far, especially since this is about the halfway point of the first arc. Anyways, have a nice day!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Slowly Approaching Bear</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"<em>Since your old clothes were pretty much destroyed, I got you some new clothes from the market," Aqua said, entering the guest room where Resina was staying with a bag in one hand. She took a set of clothes from the bag and handed it to Resina. "I'm not sure if they'll fit, but hopefully they'll be better than wearing old hand-me-downs from my mom."</em></p><p>"<em>Thank you," Resina said, taking the clothes. "Honestly, this is more than what you should be doing for me; it's not like I can pay you back or anything."</em></p><p>"<em>Don't worry about it. It's my mom's money, and she likes to make sure her patients are being taken care of," Aqua said. As Resina took off her shirt to try on the new clothes, Aqua noticed a jagged mark running down her side, making its way onto her stomach. "Hey, uh... what's that?"</em></p><p>"<em>Oh, this?" Resina said, pointing to the mark. "It's a scar from a fight I got into a few years back. Don't worry, I made sure they got off a lot worse than I did."</em></p><p>"<em>If that's the case, then I'd hate to see what happened to them," Aqua said. "What happened to them, anyways?"</em></p><p>"<em>Well, it's quite a story, if you've got a bit of time to hear about it," Resina said, putting on the shirt Aqua had given her. "Huh, fits pretty well."</em></p><p>"<em>Sure, I've got time," Aqua said, pulling up a nearby chair and sitting down. Resina sat down on the bed and began telling Aqua about her adventures in Vacuo, how she had learned about a fearsome tribe of raiders who roamed the desert, preying on towns and traveling caravans. Before long, she was enthralled by her tale, how she had tracked the tribe's movements across the desert, dealt with attacks from both bandits and Grimm alike, and finally confronted the tribe of raiders.</em></p><p>"<em>...and then, just before he brought his sword down on the little girl, I jumped in, blasting him away!" Resina said, describing her final confrontation with the raiders. "He had fierce allies by his side; a woman whose punches could shatter boulders as big as this room, and a guy with the truest aim you'll ever see a guy have with a revolver. It was looking tough, just little old me against those three monsters."</em></p><p>"<em>So, what'd you do?" Aqua asked. "How'd you beat them?"</em></p><p>"<em>Well, it was definitely a hard fight, that's for sure. I managed to fend off the gun guy and the punching girl with my semblance. Hit them with flames hot enough that they had to fall back. But that's when the guy with the sword caught me right here," Resina said, gesturing towards where her scar was. "Hurt real bad, but it meant that his sword was stuck inside me, so I grabbed it from him, pulled it out, and chopped off his arm!"</em></p><p>"<em>So that's how you got it..." Aqua muttered.</em></p><p>"<em>Yup! I'd already scorched the other two pretty bad at that point, so the three decided to retreat after that, since I had pretty much destroyed the rest of their group," Resina said. "While I wanted to chase after them, I kinda had a big gash in my side, so I decided against it."</em></p><p>"<em>That's... fair," Aqua said. "What happened to the girl?"</em></p><p>"<em>She passed out sometime during the fight, so after I patched myself up, I dropped her off at a nearby village," Resina explained. "Shame I couldn't save the rest of her caravan... but it's better than nothing, I guess. Plus, I haven't heard anything else from those guys from that day on, so I guess I did a good job."</em></p><p>"<em>Why'd you do it, anyways?" Aqua asked. "I guess it's good that you did it... but you didn't have to go through all that trouble to take out those raiders, right?</em></p><p>"<em>Well, I heard about them, and I felt like I was capable of dealing with them... so if I could help others by taking them out, why shouldn't I do so?" Resina asked. "Plus, I've seen what these raiders can do, how they can destroy people, families, and even entire towns... and I'd rather not see another burning village, if I can help it."</em></p><p>"<em>That makes sense," Aqua said. "What about when I found you drifting out at sea? Was that because of another of your adventures?"</em></p><p>"<em>Yup," Resina said. "I was captured by pirates, actually."</em></p><p>"<em>Pirates?" Aqua asked. "Why would pirates want to capture you?"</em></p><p>"<em>Would you believe me if I said it was because I'm a magical princess from a far-off land, and they were promised all the riches in the world for my capture?"</em></p><p>"<em>Probably not."</em></p><p>"<em>I thought not," Resina said. "Anyways, there I was, crossing the sea on my own, when I saw a black sail on the horizon..."</em></p><p>
  <em>Resina continued her tale, telling about her encounter with and escape from a band of pirates in great detail. Even after finishing that story, she continued, describing her various exploits across Remnant as Aqua listened eagerly. It was a fascinating view into the world outside Aqua's village. A world Aqua now wanted to see for herself.</em>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <strong>Chapter 7: Slowly Approaching Bear</strong>
</p><p>"What are you talking about?!" Viola exclaimed as the guards turned her around and pushed her towards the door. Though she didn't resist, she looked back at Melony with confusion in her eyes. "What do you think I did?"</p><p>"We have reason to suspect that you are collaborating with the bandits against the town and its people," Melony said. "We will put you on trial in order to ascertain the truths of these charges and give you an opportunity to defend yourself. You are to be held in jail until then."</p><p>"Wait, what? She hasn't done anything wrong! What do you have against - " Aqua protested, moving to step in the way of the guards only to be interrupted when Mud stepped forward and grabbed her shoulder.</p><p>"Can't really help her right now," Mud said, pulling Aqua to the side. "I'll explain later."</p><p>"You better," Aqua grumbled, begrudgingly watching the guards drag Viola out of the guardhouse. Melony followed them, leaving the two girls alone. Aqua turned towards Mud. "So, why the heck is Viola being arrested? You said someone was working with the bandits from inside Palebrook... she's not that person, is she?"</p><p>"Can't say for sure, but..." Mud trailed off, looking at the door before turning back towards Aqua. "Evidence is pointing that way, from what we've seen so far."</p><p>"What do you mean?" Aqua asked. "What evidence? She can't have been the traitor... could she?"</p><p>"Let me start from the top," Mud said. "You remember when I went to go interrogate the bandit we captured?"</p><p>"Yeah?" Aqua said. "What about that?"</p><p>"Well, we were trying to drill him for the location of the home base of the bandits so that we could go and take them out," Mud explained. "Didn't manage to get that; well, not yet. Guy's pretty stubborn. However, he did fess up to something interesting, maybe to appease us so we wouldn't interrogate him anymore."</p><p>"What?" Aqua asked. "What did he say?"</p><p>"Said he knew someone in Palebrook was working for the bandits," Mud said. "Claims he saw the bandit chief getting intel and discussing plans with someone on his scroll. Didn't know who it was, but he claimed the person was a female, belonged to the town guard, and had a name starting with V."</p><p>"That..." Aqua started to say, processing the information. "But what if he was lying? He was with us during the ride back; maybe he saw Viola and wanted to make us think she was the traitor?"</p><p>"I was skeptical too, but I was watching the bandit all the way back and he was conked out the whole ride, so unless he woke up and somehow got Viola's name while he was being taken to jail, I doubt he'd know both her appearance and name," Mud said, looking away for a moment towards the lockers at the back of the room. "Anyways, while you were out sparring with Viola, we took a look at her locker in here. Turns out, there's a bit more than a bandit's word to go on."</p><p>"Huh? What do you mean?" Aqua asked. Mud led her over to Viola's locker and pulled from it a scroll. "What's that? Viola has a scroll?"</p><p>"Guardsmen here aren't issued scrolls," Mud said, turning on the scroll. The screen was bare-bones, with little in the way of functions; the only applications available were calling, texting, and settings. "This is a burner scroll with a temporary ID card. And while I can't access the actual call recordings, it's made half a dozen calls to an unknown receiver over the past month, most of them timed just before supply raids or bandit attacks. Kinda suspicious, if you ask me."</p><p>"That's... you think she was informing the bandits about the supply runs?" Aqua asked.</p><p>"Not just that," Mud continued, putting the scroll away. She grabbed a small, clear bottle from the same locker, holding it out for Aqua to see. Aqua leaned in, reading the words on the label.</p><p>"Dye-ethe... what?"</p><p>"Diethylene glycol. A common solvent used in manufacturing," Mud explained. "More importantly, when ingested by humans in small amounts, it causes nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps, and diarrhea. Could even potentially cause permanent damage. Now, what does that sound like to you?"</p><p>"That..." Aqua started to say, pausing for a moment to think. "The mayor said that several of the guards were unavailable the night the storehouse was raided due to food poisoning. You think Viola actually poisoned them to make sure the storehouse was unguarded that night?"</p><p>"It's a possibility. Even tastes a bit sweet, so in the right food it wouldn't taste out of the ordinary," Mud said. "Point is, the way evidence stacks up, it looks like Viola's the one who tried to sell out the town."</p><p>"I... that's not right," Aqua said, pacing about in a circle. "There has to be a mistake here! I can't believe this."</p><p>"Well, what you believe doesn't matter," Mud said. "We're just outsiders here. It's what the town believes, and right now, they'll probably believe Viola is guilty, given what I just explained to you."</p><p>"What about you?" Aqua asked. "Do you think she's guilty too?"</p><p>"That's the way the evidence stacks up."</p><p>"You said that before," Aqua said. "But that didn't really answer my question... do you actually think she's guilty?"</p><p>"Look; from my experiences, the simplest and most straightforward explanation for something is most often the correct one. Occam's razor, or something like that. From what I'm seeing, 'Viola did it' is the simplest explanation given the evidence," Mud said. "You got something that makes you think otherwise? I barely talked to the girl; maybe you know a bit more about her than I do, considering what you've done with her so far."</p><p>"I... I don't think Viola's guilty of anything," Aqua said. "Despite the evidence, I don't think she'd even think about cooperating with the bandits to hit Palebrook from the inside. She's kind, she fought at my side against the bandits during the supply raid, and from what she told me, she owes a lot to the Palebrook guard. I doubt she'd turn her back on them."</p><p>"Huh. And you sure she wasn't lying or faking or pretending with any of that?"</p><p>"I don't think so," Aqua said. "The bandits we fought during the supply raid... they didn't seem to recognize her or anything, and if she was the traitor, they wouldn't have firebombed the truck, right?"</p><p>"Well, how would they know she was in the truck? I made the truck assignments, and I had you watching her the whole time, so it's not like she could tell them if she was working with them. Plus, the evidence has her calling up the bandits with a scroll, so those two might've not known what she looks like," Mud said. "Anyways, your job isn't to convince me. It's to convince Melony, Mayor Tinnus, or whoever's gonna be running her trial and judging her."</p><p>"The mayor..." Aqua muttered. "That's right! Maybe if I can convince the mayor that Viola's innocent, he can use his authority to set her free!"</p><p>"Yeah, well, good luck with that," Mud said, standing up and heading towards the door. "Gonna be busy for a bit, need to meet up with Melony to discuss the bandit situation and interrogate the prisoner a bit more. Meet up at the inn in... two hours?"</p><p>"Wait!" Aqua said just before Mud reached the door. "You're headed for the town jail, right? For the interrogation? I'm coming too."</p><p>"What, you wanna watch me shout at a guy for an hour?" Mud asked. "I mean, I'm not gonna stop you, though you might get bored after a while."</p><p>"Huh? No, they took Viola to the town jail, right?" Aqua asked. "I want to see her before I go to the mayor... maybe talk with her."</p><p>"Can't guarantee they'll let you meet her," Mud said. "But sure, come along. Now, let's go."</p><p>With that, Aqua followed Mud out of the guardhouse, the two girls heading for the jail on the other side of town.</p>
<hr/><p>Palebrook's jail, much like the town, wasn't too large. It consisted of a lobby and office at the entrance, with a long hallway on each side connected to the lobby by security doors. Each hallway was lined with cells, with about a dozen on each side. This building wasn't designed to hold people in the long term; lesser offenders were hit with other charges such as fines, community service, or house arrest, while more problematic criminals were only held temporarily before being transferred to larger prisons closer to the capital. Each cell was separated from the hallway by sturdy metal bars and a reinforced steel door; nothing short of high explosives or a full-strength Huntsman could break through them.</p><p>It was through these bars that Aqua saw Viola, sitting in a fetal position on the cell's bed with her back facing the door.</p><p>"Viola!" Aqua exclaimed, quickly stepping forward and tapping at the bars to get her attention.</p><p>"Huh?" Viola said softly, looking over at the bars. Upon seeing Aqua, she sat up, turning towards her. "Aqua! You came!"</p><p>"The guard at the front let me talk to you for a bit," Aqua said. "How are you feeling?"</p><p>"I am... confused. And scared," Viola said, looking down for a moment. "Melony said I am to be tried on suspicion of conspiracy against the town? I am still unsure of what is going on. Do you know anything?"</p><p>"Yeah, well..." Aqua paused for a moment. "It's as you heard. You're being accused of working with the bandits to take down the town from the inside, and there's evidence against you to support that."</p><p>"Evidence? What evidence?" Viola asked. "I have not done anything wrong..."</p><p>"The bandit that was captured... he claimed to have heard you talking with the bandit chief by scroll," Aqua explained. "Because of that, Melony and Mud investigated your locker, and they found a burner scroll with calls logged just before supply raids over the past month, plus some chemical that could mess people up pretty bad if they ingested it. They think you might've used that the night the storehouse was robbed, since several guards were out that night due to food poisoning."</p><p>"What?!" Viola exclaimed. "That is... I do not have anything like that. Why were those items in my locker?"</p><p>"I don't know any more than you do," Aqua said. "But it definitely looks as if you were helping the bandits."</p><p>"I... I was not!" Viola said. She looked down, turning away. "You believe me, right?"</p><p>"Viola... look at me," Aqua said. Viola looked up, and Aqua took a breath. "Give me the truth. Did you do it?"</p><p>"I did not do it," Viola said. "I swear, I would never hurt Palebrook in this way."</p><p>"I... believe you," Aqua said. "I don't know what to think yet about the evidence... but I don't think you're lying. I've only known you for a day, but I don't think you'd deliberately sell out the town after what they did for you."</p><p>"Thank you, Aqua," Viola said. "As for the evidence that supposedly implicates me... do you have any ideas as to how it got there?"</p><p>"No idea," Aqua said. "I guess someone might be trying to frame you... maybe that person's the real traitor in Palebrook, and they're trying to make you a scapegoat."</p><p>"So, what should we do?" Viola asked.</p><p>"I was thinking about asking the mayor to step in," Aqua explained. "Maybe I can convince him that you're innocent, and he'll make sure you aren't charged."</p><p>"Mayor Tinnus?" Viola asked. "I am not so sure that will be successful..."</p><p>"Huh? Why?"</p><p>"The mayor is not a bad person, but he tends to focus more on Palebrook's economics and the profits that come from the town's mines," Viola explained. "I am unsure if he would care enough to pardon a guardswoman accused of conspiracy against the town, especially with the current evidence."</p><p>"Well, it doesn't hurt to try, right?" Aqua said. "I'll visit his office and see what I can do."</p><p>"Thank you," Viola said. "To do this for me... I shall have to repay you immensely when I am free."</p><p>"Ah, well..." Aqua paused for a moment. "Helping people is just what a Huntress does, right? You need help right now, so..."</p><p>"Indeed, that is true," Viola said with a smile. "Regardless, I am in your debt once more."</p><p>"Well, not yet. I haven't actually gotten any evidence to help you, and I'm not gonna get any standing around here," Aqua sighed, turning towards the exit. "I'll see you later, hopefully with good news."</p><p>"I look forward to your return," Viola said, watching as Aqua made her way down the hallway and out of sight.</p>
<hr/><p>
  <em>Knock knock.</em>
</p><p>"Come in."</p><p>Aqua pushed open the wooden double doors to see a medium-sized office, with shelves of books and the occasional window lining the walls. Toward the back of the room was a wooden desk with papers strewn about, and a familiar portly man behind it, looking up from his paperwork towards his new guest.</p><p>"Ah, welcome," Terrence said, setting down his pen. "You are Aqua, correct? The one training to be a Huntress?"</p><p>"That's right, Mayor Tinnus," Aqua said, looking down at the desk. "Are you busy right now? Because if you are - "</p><p>"No, it's quite fine," Terrence interrupted. "And please, call me Terrence. What can I do for you?"</p><p>"I know I've only been in town for a couple of days, but I've got a favor to ask," Aqua said. "I guess you've heard about the incident with Viola, one of the guardswomen?"</p><p>"I certainly have," Terrence said. "Tragic, really. To think that one of our own was conspiring against us..."</p><p>"Actually, that's what I'm here about," Aqua said. "I don't think Viola is guilty of the charges she's facing."</p><p>"Oh?" Terrence said. "What makes you say that? You have seen the evidence, I assume?"</p><p>"I've seen it..." Aqua paused for a moment. "But even then, I don't think she's guilty. She just doesn't seem like the type of person who would sell out the town for... what? Money? I can't imagine what else the bandits could offer her..."</p><p>"Tell me, how long have you known Viola?" Terrence asked. "As far as I am aware, you only just arrived two nights ago, so unless you knew Viola from before then, you only met her a little more than a day ago, correct?"</p><p>"I guess that's true... but still! We've talked, sparred, and fought alongside each other. It's not like we're complete strangers, even if we've only known each other for a day," Aqua protested. "I really don't think she'd betray the town... I think she might have been framed, or something."</p><p>"While framing is possible, given the current evidence, it is far more likely that Viola is simply the culprit in this matter," Terrence said. "Believe me, I am usually one to believe the best in people. However, that does not mean that I will ignore what is laid out in front of me. First impressions can sometimes be deceiving; a person's true face may not be the one that they show to the world. Could it be possible that you are ignoring the truth in front of you due to your positive first impressions of Viola?"</p><p>"I... well..."</p><p>"I can see that you think highly of Viola, so I will say this: I am not closed off to the possibility that Viola is innocent of this crime. However, I will not be convinced that is the truth without proper evidence to back it up," Terrence said. "If you happen to find evidence exonerating her, please let me know, and I will be happy to support her release."</p><p>"I - alright," Aqua said, realizing that what the mayor was saying was true. Though she firmly believed that Viola was innocent, the fact remained that evidence was found convicting her of conspiring against the town. Aqua stood up and made her way towards the door before stopping and looking back at Terrence. "Oh, thanks for taking the time to hear me out."</p><p>"No thanks are necessary. In fact I should be thanking you for assisting with the bandit problem," Terrence replied.</p><p>"Yeah, well, I haven't done much..."</p><p>"In our current predicament, any assistance is appreciated."</p><p>Aqua nodded before stepping out of the room, closing the door behind herself.</p>
<hr/><p>"Ah, Aqua! You have returned from visiting the mayor already?" Viola said as Aqua came into view, stepping in front of Viola's cell. "Have you brought good news?"</p><p>"Well..." Aqua rubbed the back of her head. "I couldn't convince him to give you a pardon or anything, since so far, the evidence is pretty clearly pointing towards you."</p><p>"Ah, I see..." Viola said. "Disappointing, but understandable. I suppose that means we should try to find evidence of our own to show that I was framed."</p><p>"That would probably be the best next step," Aqua muttered. "Do you have an alibi? For the night the storehouse was raided, I mean?"</p><p>"Unfortunately, I was assigned to a solo patrol route around the outskirts of town that night," Viola said. "I had no one by my side to vouch for my location at that time, so theoretically, it could have been possible for me to slip away and commit that crime."</p><p>"That's... not ideal," Aqua said. "So we've got no alibi, evidence supposedly in your possession, and the bandit we captured saying it was you... are you sure you didn't do it?"</p><p>"I am!" Viola exclaimed. "Unless I am going insane and have some sort of split personality cooperating with the bandits, I am fairly sure I did not do anything to hurt the town."</p><p>"If that's the case, then how did the bandit that was captured even know your name?" Aqua asked. "It's not like you just told him or something... did you?"</p><p>"He was unconscious the entire time Roland and I were transporting him here last night. I did not speak a word to him," Viola said. "If I were to guess, the real traitor in Palebrook - the one who framed me - supplied the name, likely sometime between when he was captured and the interrogation."</p><p>"But how?" Aqua asked. "You saw those security doors while you were coming in, right? How could anyone have gotten in to pass a message?"</p><p>"That... I am unsure about. They may have slipped in somehow, though I do not know how one would enter and leave unnoticed," Viola said. "You said earlier that Mud was interrogating the captured bandit, correct? Perhaps she has learned some new information that may help identify the real culprit."</p><p>"Maybe. I'll go check on her. She should be at the other end of the building, I think," Aqua said. Viola nodded, and Aqua walked down the hallway, exiting into the main lobby through the security doors before heading over through the door on the opposite end. The layout here was similar to the hallway Viola was being kept in, with cells lining the end of the hallway, though there was a door leading to another room at the end of the hallway. According to what Mud had told her earlier, that was where the captured bandit was being interrogated. As she approached, she saw Melony come out of the door.</p><p>"Are you here to see Mud?" Melony asked, noticing Aqua. "She's currently finishing up the interrogation, so maybe it'd be better if you waited out here."</p><p>"Uh, alright," Aqua replied. She stood awkwardly in front of the guard captain for a moment, avoiding eye contact by looking over at the empty cells to the side. "Uh... about Viola..."</p><p>"You're concerned about her?" Melony said. "When the prisoner told us there was an insider in Palebrook and pointed us in Viola's direction, I had trouble believing it. In fact, I still do. One of our own, betraying the town... but I find the evidence hard to deny."</p><p>"But what if she was framed?" Aqua asked. "That would make sense, right?"</p><p>"I would like to believe that, but as of now, there is no evidence to support it," Melony said. She took a scroll from her pocket and looked at the screen for a moment. "Forgive me, but I've got to head back to the guardhouse and make assignments for tonight's patrols."</p><p>As Melony left the building, Aqua stood outside the windowless metal door at the end of the hall, waiting for Mud to come out. Though the door was thick, she could hear the occasional shout or yell, sometimes from Mud and sometimes from a male voice. Finally, Mud opened the door, stepping out before slamming it shut.</p><p>"Damn fucker ain't giving me - oh, hey Aqua," Mud said, noticing Aqua standing by the door. "You talk to Viola yet?"</p><p>"Yeah, and the mayor," Aqua said. "Doesn't look like he'll do anything about it unless I can find some sort of evidence to prove that she's innocent."</p><p>"Well, that's about what I figured," Mud said. "You ain't gonna spring someone from jail off 'I believe them', after all."</p><p>"I guess so..." Aqua said. "You were interrogating the bandit that was captured, right? Were you able to get anything?"</p><p>"Nothing helpful," Mud grumbled. "A few minor things - apparently the guy's a recent addition to the bandit group - but nothing that we're looking for, whether it's the identity of the real traitor in Palebrook or the location of wherever the bandits are hiding."</p><p>"I see..."</p><p>"Well, it ain't all bad news," Mud said. "I was talking with Melony, and now I got a job for you tonight. Well, for both of us,"</p><p>"Really?" Aqua asked. "What is it?"</p><p>"Remember how the bandits attacked the wall last night? Injured a few guards? Well, that means they're short-staffed for tonight," Mud explained. "That's where we come in. We're gonna help guard the town while their guys are out of commission."</p><p>"So we're taking over for the injured guards?" Aqua asked. "How long do we have to patrol? And where are we patrolling?"</p><p>"One shift each. Night watch starts at ten and ends at six, and shifts change at two in the morning, so it'll be four hours of standing or walking around," Mud said. "As for where, I put you on wall duty. Figured it'd do you good to be where the action will probably be if there's a Grimm or bandit attack."</p><p>"I guess so..."</p><p>"Don't worry, it's an easy job. Usually, it's just sitting around for a few hours watching some trees. If you're lucky, a Beowolf will pop out and you'll get to shoot it," Mud said. "Or in your case, stab it. Anyways, Huntresses also sometimes help out with patrols and stuff, so this'll be good experience."</p><p>"What about you?" Aqua asked. "Are we gonna be on the same patrol?"</p><p>"Nah, even with our help the town guard is spread thin. I'm gonna be on another patrol route; you'll probably be patrolling your part of the wall alone," Mud explained. "You'll have to ask Melony for more details later, 'cause I don't think she's made the patrol assignments for tonight yet."</p><p>"Alright, I guess I can do a job like that," Aqua said. "You've probably done this sort of job before, right? Do you have any advice?"</p><p>"I'd say turn your scroll off so you don't look at the time every five minutes, but you don't have one," Mud said. "Also, coffee or tea helps if you're having trouble staying awake, but don't drink it too late into your shift 'cause otherwise you won't be able to go to sleep afterwards."</p><p>"Got it," Aqua said. Her mind wandered back to Viola. "And... what about finding evidence to free Viola? Do you have any advice on that? You seem to be good at investigating things, so..."</p><p>"Does she have some sort of alibi?" Mud asked. "Maybe she was chatting with someone the night of the storehouse robbery?"</p><p>"She was on patrol that night," Aqua said. "She was alone, so nobody can vouch for her."</p><p>"Well, that mucks things up a bit," Mud muttered. "Well, I'd say to think back to the bandit-related incidents that have gone on recently. Like, the storehouse being looted or the supply run being ambushed. Maybe there's something in the details of those incidents that contradicts the fact that Viola's the traitor."</p><p>"Like what?" Aqua asked.</p><p>"I dunno, that's for you to figure out." Mud said, shrugging her shoulders. "Maybe something that proves Viola's innocent, or something that points to someone else being the true traitor to Palebrook or something like that."</p><p>"I see..." Aqua muttered, thinking back to the storehouse investigation. Nothing stood out at her immediately from what she remembered; she'd have to think a bit harder. Maybe visit the storehouse once again.</p><p>"Anyways, I gotta head over to the guardhouse 'cause Melony wants my input on the current defense situation," Mud said. "Do what you wanna do, but meet me at the inn at six for dinner. Then, half past nine at the guardhouse to get ready for the night patrol."</p><p>"Alright," Aqua said, watching Mud make her way down the hall and out of sight.</p>
<hr/><p>Palebrook's walls, which stretched all the way around the town's perimeter, were made of rock and stone reinforced by metal frames - fitting for a town that depended almost entirely on mining minerals and metals. Like most towns on the outskirts of the kingdom, Palebrook had built their wall to repel attacks from Grimm and the occasional bandit raid, meaning that it was sturdy enough to take a good beating. Two feet of rock and steel was difficult to penetrate, even for the strongest Ursa or Boarbatusk. The occasional watchtower popped up every few hundred meters, with adjustable lights shining down towards the forest beyond the town's borders.</p><p>It was atop one of these watchtowers where Aqua was standing, bored out of her mind.</p><p><em>Maybe I should count the trees again,</em> Aqua thought, her eyes glazing over the forest partially illuminated by the watchtower's lights. Since she had no scroll, or even a watch, she had no idea how long she had been standing in the watchtower, looking over the forest and waiting for something interesting to happen. She guessed it was about midnight; if so, she still had two more hours left.</p><p><em>I still need to find something to help Viola... </em>Aqua thought. She had visited the storehouse again that afternoon, but everything had already been cleaned up, and what had been taken was partially refilled with the new supplies they had brought in the previous night. <em>Mud said to think back to the incident... maybe there's something there that I'm missing?</em></p><p>"Let's see..." Aqua muttered, thinking back to the investigation she had done with Mud. <em>Whoever did it started by destroying the camera while staying out of sight. Then, they pulled open the doors somehow... wait, could Viola have even -</em></p><p>"Grrrr..."</p><p>Aqua's concentration was broken as she heard a growling from below. Snapping out of her thoughts, she looked down towards the forest to see a Beowolf emerging from the trees towards the wall, looking up at the watchtower. Several more pairs of red eyes shone in the forest behind it, all locked onto her. Aqua grabbed her spear with one hand, reaching into her pocket with her other hand and pulling out a short-ranged radio provided to her by the Palebrook guard.</p><p>"Uh, I've got some Beowolves here. What should I do?" Aqua asked into the radio, holding down the button to speak like she was told during the job briefing before letting go and waiting for a response. A few seconds went by before the speaker crackled on.</p><p>"Drive them away from the wall, but if they retreat into the forest, don't chase," a voice, probably one of the other guards, said. "Also, you're supposed to say 'over' when you're done speaking. Over."</p><p>"Sorry, it's my first time using this," Aqua said, looking down at the Beowolves as they approached. "Uh, over."</p><p>"It's fine. Radio back when you've cleared them out, over."</p><p>The radio crackled off as Aqua slipped it back into her pocket. She jumped down from the watchtower, landing with her back to the wall as she readied her spear in her right hand, grabbing a water Dust crystal with the other and turning it into liquid. The Beowolves hidden in the forest stepped into view, fanning out to form a half-circle around Aqua.</p><p><em>Let's see, how many...</em> Aqua thought, her eyes quickly scanning over the Beowolves surrounding her. There were only six by her count; few enough that she should be able to take them out without too much trouble. Regardless, she gripped her spear tightly as she watched the Beowolves warily, her water gathering around her arms as she waited for one of them to make a move. After a few moments, a Beowolf lunged towards her from her left, jaws wide open and ready to bite down on her side.</p><p>"No you don't," Aqua grunted, throwing her arm out towards the lunging Beowolf. A tendril of water shot out from her shoulder, smacking the Beowolf hard against the side of its jaw and sending it crashing into the wall. The other Beowolves moved to follow the first, two more lunging from her front and her right. Aqua turned to face them, blasting the Beowolf in front with a torrent of water that sent it flying back into the forest. She held out her spear towards the one to her right, directly in its path. Moving too quickly to slow down, the Beowolf impaled itself on Aqua's spear, the tip piercing through its chest and out its back. As Aqua pulled her spear out of the disintegrating Beowolf's body, the three remaining Beowolves all leaped towards her at the same time. Aqua gathered water around her spear, forming a large blade of water protruding from the tip.</p><p>"Yah!" Aqua shouted, swinging her water-enhanced spear horizontally towards the three Beowolves. It cut cleanly through the first, then the second, then -</p><p>
  <strong>BANG!</strong>
</p><p>Something impacted Aqua's chest hard, sending her flying back and crashing into the wall. Her aura shimmered as she dropped her spear, the water around it soaking into the dirt below. She took a moment to gather her bearings before quickly grabbing her spear and standing up, looking for the source of the attack, only to see the remaining three Beowolves quickly closing in on her.</p><p>"Darn it," Aqua muttered, flicking her eyes at the forest behind the Beowolves as they drew closer. Someone had just shot her from somewhere in that forest - but who, and where were they? The forest was too dark for her to see anyone, so Aqua focused on the Grimm, ducking underneath a Beowolf's lunge before sidestepping another and impaling the third through the mouth as it leaped towards her. She kept moving, constantly wary of the gun that was probably trained on her while she dealt with the more imminent threat. Her spear pierced through another Beowolf's chest as the last Beowolf lunged at her. Moving to avoid the attack, Aqua pulled her spear out of the disintegrating Beowolf and -</p><p>
  <strong>BANG!</strong>
</p><p>- stumbled back as another bullet impacted her shoulder, throwing her off balance. The Beowolf opened its jaws wide, ready to bite down on Aqua's neck. With her spear out of position, she raised her arm to defend herself, and the Beowolf's teeth clamped tight around her forearm.</p><p>"Ack!" Aqua yelped, gritting her teeth in pain as the Beowolf's jaws threatened to crush her arm, stopped only by her rapidly-depleting aura. She dropped her spear with her free hand, reaching into her bag and grabbing the first Dust crystal her fingers came across - she didn't take the time to see what kind it was. With a shout, she charged it with a portion of the meager aura she had remaining, slamming it against the Beowolf's snout. Bolts of electricity shot out from the impact point, causing both Aqua and the Beowolf to yelp in pain as they both stumbled back, freeing Aqua's arm from the Beowolf's jaws in the process. Though Aqua's limbs were still involuntarily twitching and shaking from the sudden shock, she quickly grabbed her spear from the ground, running the Beowolf through before it could recover.</p><p>"Hah... grrrk..." Aqua grunted as she pulled her spear from the dissolving Beowolf's body. Though her limbs felt like they were on fire from the electricity and the Beowolf's bite, she kept moving, ducking behind a particularly large tree - and not a moment too soon, as she heard another bullet whizz by where she was just standing, impacting the dirt a few meters away. <em>That means he's probably sniping from the branches or something... so how do I get him down?</em></p><p>Aqua thought for a moment, grabbing two crystals from her bag; one water and one fire. She turned the water crystal into liquid and grasped the fire crystal in a tendril of water, just like she had practiced before. Aqua took a breath before stepping out from behind the tree, charging the fire crystal with her aura.</p><p>"Take this!" Aqua shouted, slinging the glowing crystal into the woods, vaguely in the direction she guessed the sniper would be at. The crystal exploded into a bright ball of flame, singing the nearby branches and lighting the forest for a few moments. It was in those moments that Aqua spotted a cloaked figure sitting on a branch about a hundred meters into the forest, shielding himself from the heat of the blast.</p><p><em>There you are, </em>Aqua thought, breaking into a sprint towards the figure. Though the light from the explosion had faded, she was able to see the sniper by his silhouette against the moonlight, now that she knew where he was. Aqua reached down into her bag, grabbing a white crystal as -</p><p>
  <strong>BANG!</strong>
</p><p>- she ducked to the side, having seen the glint of the sniper's scope in the moonlight. However, despite not connecting directly, the bullet grazed her shoulder, and Aqua's aura was low enough that it was able to take a decent bit of her remaining aura, leaving her dangerously close to empty. She took the crystal with her water tendril and slung it up towards the tree where the sniper was perched. A violent explosion of winds erupted from the crystal as it shattered against the tree, snapping branches and blowing the sniper back. However, instead of falling to the ground like Aqua had wanted, the sniper grabbed onto a branch from another tree, pulling himself up before jumping away through the treetops.</p><p><em>I'm all beat up, but he's retreating... looks like sniping is the only thing he's good at, </em>Aqua thought, running after the sniper as he jumped from tree to tree like a squirrel. She shot her tendril of water up, grabbing the branch that the sniper had just jumped off and pulling herself upwards and over the branch. Aqua used the momentum to chase the fleeing sniper, swinging from branch to branch with her water tendrils and quickly closing the gap. As she got in range, she lashed out, wrapping a tendril of water around the sniper's ankle just before he could leap from another branch. The sniper stumbled forward, caught off balance, and Aqua slammed him down to the ground before descending herself. Before he could get up, Aqua pulled him off his feet with the tendril, slamming him against a nearby tree, causing his aura to flare. She stepped towards him, knocking the rifle from his hands and putting her spear to his neck.</p><p>"Who are you?" Aqua asked. "Why did you attack me?"</p><p>"C-calm down," the sniper said, taking off the hood of his cloak to reveal a teenage guy, about Aqua's age. "I'm just - "</p><p>"Wait a minute, I remember your voice," Aqua interrupted. "You're the guy from the truck raid, aren't you? The one who was with that girl with the huge fists?"</p><p>"Yeah, that's my sister," the guy - Morr, if Aqua remembered his name correctly - said. "She sure messed you and that other girl up, huh?"</p><p>"What do you know about Viola? Who set her up?" Aqua asked, pressing the tip of her spear against Morr's throat. "I want answers!"</p><p>"Whoa, whoa, watch it!" Morr exclaimed, raising his hands. "What are you talking about? Who's Viola?"</p><p>"The other girl who was with me," Aqua explained. "I know you have someone in Palebrook who's working with you guys, and whoever it is, they've framed Viola for doing just that. Now, who is it?"</p><p>"I don't know! I don't know," Morr said. "I mean, I don't know who you're talking about. I heard the chief talking to some guy on his scroll before, getting information about supply runs and stuff, but I have no idea who that guy is. Now can you stop poking my fragile neck with your spear?"</p><p>"Tch. I guess if I have you here, I should probably take you in," Aqua said, raising the butt of her spear in order to bash Morr over the head and, hopefully, knock him unconscious. She drove the butt of her spear down towards Morr's head, only for her to be interrupted as something drove hard into her side, shattering her aura and sending her flying. She crashed into a nearby tree, slumping down as she cried out in pain.</p><p>"Who..." Aqua muttered, looking up as pain flared through her body. She saw a large man dressed in furs and what seemed like a headdress made from a bear's pelt helping Morr up. He had two large axes, one on each hip. Though Aqua tried to stand up, the blow had taken much more out of her than she had originally thought, and she collapsed back against the tree, clutching her side.</p><p>"Thanks, chief," Morr said, looking over at Aqua. "You're lucky. Looks like the chief was going easy on you."</p><p>"Y-yeah?" Aqua asked, grimacing from the pain as she looked up at the chief. She didn't doubt it; though he wasn't using it at the moment, Aqua could feel a powerful aura radiating from the large man, one much greater than her own. She looked around, but there was only herself, Morr, and the bandit chief in sight.</p><p>"You," the chief said in a deep voice, approaching Aqua. "You are an outsider. You are not of this town."</p><p>"That... that's right," Aqua grunted. "I'm just passing through on the way to Beacon. What about it?"</p><p>"A Huntress. A noble profession," the chief said. "Leave this town, and never return. Unless you wish to be caught in its destruction."</p><p>"Huh?" Aqua asked. "What are you - "</p><p>The sounds of gunfire interrupted Aqua as bullets showered Morr and the bandit chief; the former retreated into the forest out of sight, while the latter simply raised his arm, the bullets bouncing off his aura. Aqua turned to see Mud run into sight, her rifle trained on the chief.</p><p>"You look strong," Mud said. "You the leader?"</p><p>"Indeed," the chief said. "And you are the mercenary. I have heard much about you. Why do you protect this town?"</p><p>"They paid me," Mud said. "Ain't much more than that."</p><p>"I see. Not as noble a profession as the Huntress, but still respectable," the chief said. "Know that you protect what is fated to be destroyed. The Ursine shall come to reclaim what is theirs, and they shall trample all who stand in their way."</p><p>With that, the chief retreated into the forest and out of sight with surprising speed, leaving Aqua alone with Mud. Mud reached down, grabbing Aqua's hand and pulling her onto her feet. "You alright?"</p><p>"Yeah, I'm - urk," Aqua grunted, gripping her side as she stumbled over. "Maybe not. But I'll live. How'd you know I was in trouble?"</p><p>"What, you thought no one heard that explosion?" Mud asked, grabbing Aqua's spear from the ground and handing it to her. "I was patrolling around the area when I heard something blow up, so I came to investigate. So, what the hell was that all about?"</p><p>"I dropped down to take care of some Beowolves. As I was fighting them, someone started shooting at me from the forest," Aqua explained. "I chased him down and caught him, but then that big guy appeared, and you came in, and I think you know the rest."</p><p>"Huh. So they're targeting the town guard again," Mud muttered. "Anyways, good job on taking down that sniper, but next time, use your radio and let someone know what's going on. If I hadn't noticed that explosion, nobody would've come to save your ass."</p><p>"Alright, I guess..." Aqua said. "The big guy - the bandit chief, I think - seemed really strong. Not like Rana; she could hit hard, but that guy... I could feel his strength, even when he wasn't using it. It's hard to describe, but..."</p><p>"I get what you mean. Lotta monsters on Remnant, and from what I could tell, he's one of them. Even I'd probably have a hard time against him," Mud said. "That means the next time you encounter him, or someone as strong as him, I want you to run. Guy like him would crush you flat in an instant, and I don't want you dying on me."</p><p>"I... alright," Aqua said. "And what was that about... the Ursine? I think that's what he said, that the Ursine would come back to claim what was theirs? Are they planning to destroy the town or something?"</p><p>"It's possible. Dunno what these Ursine are, but maybe someone in town will. We can look around in the morning," Mud said. "Right now, we're getting you back to the inn. I dunno if you're injured or not, but you definitely need rest. We'll get the next guy to start his shift early."</p><p>Mud took out her radio, but before she could speak, it crackled to life on its own. "This is the south gate! We're under attack from the bandits! I need reinforcements, over!" a voice shouted before the radio turned silent again.</p><p>"Well, shit. Guess I'll head on over," Mud said. "Can you make it back to the inn by yourself?"</p><p>"I think so," Aqua said. "But maybe I can - "</p><p>"No. Go back and rest; you'll just get in the way considering how beat you are right now," Mud said before she ran off. While Aqua wanted to go help, she had to agree; her aura was shattered, and her body was aching just from walking back into town. She quietly made her way back to the inn, where she flopped onto her bed and passed out almost immediately.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>And here's chapter 7! Things are starting to escalate: Aqua's out to prove Viola's innocence, attacks against the town continue, and we finally see the chief of the bandits himself. Thanks a lot to BiiiiiiiiigBellyTheDragon on FF.net for reviewing; though we already talked elsewhere, I'd like to repeat a few things from my response here on Ao3, since I think they may be of interest to other readers.</p><p>Regarding Mud, she isn't really an intentional jab at common OCs, though I admit she's quite a deviation from the norm. She's named that way just because I needed a color name for brown that seemed drab and dull, and I thought "eh, Mud will work." Her choice of weaponry and how she fights kinda originated from me thinking "RWBY's got characters with just plain-old swords, but no characters with just plain-old guns", so I decided to make her fighting style revolve around efficient and precise use of plain firearms rather than any fancy tricks with unique weaponry. After all, why go for the fancy custom shifting weapons when you can just get the job done with a few well-placed bullets?</p><p>Regarding Viola, I guess a British accent would maybe be close? I was mostly going for something formal to make her speech pattern distinct from Mud or Aqua, who talk fairly informally. She's definitely not supposed to sound like a robot.</p><p>Regarding Aqua, yeah, considering her background and her current place, she's still developing her fighting style and combat experience, so she's still got a way to go. Just being able to get into Beacon is her current endgoal, and that's a benchmark that nearly every character in the show's already passed by episode 1, so she's going to be operating a bit lower than that. However, she's a quick learner, and she's got a strong semblance, so don't expect her to stay down there forever.</p><p>Thanks to those who followed, favorited, or simply read the story. If you enjoyed the story so far, please don't hesitate to leave a comment, no matter how short or long, positive or negative, of a message you have to say. I crave comments, and I'll do my best to respond to each one. With that, have a nice day!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. What's a Fingernail Between Friends?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"<em>Hey, dad?"</em></p><p>"<em>What is it, Aqua?"</em></p><p>"<em>Can I be a Huntress?" Aqua asked, pulling a clean bowl from the sink onto the counter. She reached over, grabbing a dirty plate and putting it beneath the faucet. "When I grow up, I mean."</em></p><p>"<em>Well, uh..." Aqua's father began to say, pausing for a moment as he finished up the last bits of fish and vegetables on his plate. "What brought this on, anyways?"</em></p><p>"<em>I was talking to Resina, and she was telling me all about her adventures across the world," Aqua explained. "Fighting bandits, saving people from Grimm, exploring the world... she was so cool. And that's basically what a Huntress does, right?"</em></p><p>"<em>I suppose so," Aqua's father said. "But Huntresses... they have to be really strong. And they have to fight a lot, and it's a really hard job... maybe it's not the best job for you."</em></p><p>"<em>Dad, you've seen me fight Gnashers! I'm really strong!" Aqua protested. "Plus, my semblance is really good for fighting!"</em></p><p>"<em>Yeah, well, you have to go through a primary combat school, and you have to take a test, and..." Aqua's father trailed off for a moment. "Anyways, your semblance is good at other things too. Like fishing!"</em></p><p>"<em>Yeah, but fishing is boring," Aqua said. "I want to see the world! Help people! Fight Grimm!"</em></p><p>"<em>What's this about fighting Grimm?" Aqua's mother said as she walked through the front door, a bag of medical supplies in hand. "Aqua, have you been fighting Gnashers again? I told you to avoid them..."</em></p><p>"<em>She wants to be a Huntress," Aqua's father explained.</em></p><p>"<em>Yeah!" Aqua added. "It's boring here, and being a Huntress seems fun!"</em></p><p>"<em>It's a bad idea," Aqua's mother said. "Aqua, do you remember the injuries that the people who see me often have? Burns, broken bones, limbs taken off from Grimm attacks?"</em></p><p>"<em>Yeah?"</em></p><p>"<em>Well, Huntsmen and Huntresses are injured like that all the time... and sometimes much worse than that," Aqua's mother said. "Many of them lose their lives. It's quite a dangerous job, even a deadly one. It would be much safer for you if you followed your father as a fisherwoman, or if you followed me and became a healer."</em></p><p>"<em>I guess so..." Aqua muttered as her parents shifted the conversation to other topics. She knew her parents were right; considering that being a Huntress involved fighting Grimm regularly, it was much more dangerous than any of the jobs that her parents wanted her to do. However, her desire to become a Huntress still remained in the back of her mind.</em></p><hr/><p>
  <strong>Chapter 8: What's a Fingernail Between Friends?</strong>
</p><p>As Aqua woke up, the first thing she was aware of was that her body was aching all over - most notably on her left arm and her right hip. She groaned, eyes still closed as she tossed and turned. As she rolled over, the bed suddenly seemed to give way from under her, causing her to crash down onto the wooden floor.</p><p>"Ack," Aqua grunted, feeling a bit of heat as she opened her eyes. She was lying on the floor between the bed and wall; sunlight poured down through the window, hitting her directly in the face and forcing her to squint. "Wha..."</p><p>"Oh hey, you're awake," Aqua heard Mud say. She sat up to see Mud sitting at a table on the other side of the room, looking at her scroll. "How're you feeling? Probably pretty shitty, right?"</p><p>"Yeah, uh, that's about right," Aqua muttered, pushing herself onto her feet. "What time is it?"</p><p>"About an hour before noon," Mud said. "I'd normally wake you up at sunrise, but considering the late-night guard shift and the fight you had, I figured I'd let you rest up and regenerate your aura."</p><p>"Thanks," Aqua said. "What happened while I was asleep? There was another attack, right?"</p><p>"Yup. Bunch of bandits decided to ambush some guards on the wall at the other side of town," Mud explained. "Managed to drive them back, but the guards didn't make it out too well. We got a few deaths and some pretty bad injuries."</p><p>"One of the guards died?" Aqua asked. "That... that's bad, isn't it?"</p><p>"It is. Besides being down a guard - well, several, considering we got several injured - death's gonna lower morale a lot," Mud explained. "That means a lot more negativity going around. Means more Grimm gathering outside the walls, and not as many guards to deal with them."</p><p>"And the bandits are going to come back again," Aqua added. "The bandit chief told me to leave, or else I'd be caught up in the town's destruction... is he trying to destroy the town? But why?"</p><p>"Maybe they want to loot the town?" Mud proposed. "Actually, I don't think that's why he's doing it. He's probably got some other motive."</p><p>"Huh? Why do you think so?" Aqua asked.</p><p>"It's what he said back then. Something about reclaiming something for the Ursine, or something like that," Mud said. "I dunno what he means by that, but it seems like he's got some feud with the town that's not related to money or looting."</p><p>"Maybe someone in town knows," Aqua said. "Though I don't know who..."</p><p>"Might as well start at the town library. Maybe they've got something in the archives about it," Mud proposed. "I searched up 'Ursine' on my scroll, but I didn't get anything about any bandit tribe; just stuff about Ursas."</p><p>"I guess it's worth a shot," Aqua said. "What about you? I'm guessing you'll be busy helping Melony with the town's defenses?"</p><p>"That's about right. Situation's worse than ever, and chances are, there'll be another attack tonight," Mud said. "I think we gotta go and take the offensive before that happens."</p><p>"What do you mean? Like, attack the bandits before they attack the town?" Aqua asked. "But we don't know where they're hiding, right?"</p><p>"Not right now, but we have someone who does," Mud said. "That bandit we captured? He ain't talking right now, but I think I can get him to talk today."</p><p>"I thought you couldn't get him to say anything useful yesterday?" Aqua asked. "What's changed?"</p><p>"Well, I got a bit of something planned for him. You don't need to worry about it, you probably won't like it anyways," Mud said. "Anyways, I gotta go figure out the town's defenses with Melony. You go figure out what the hell the bandit chief wants with Palebrook, or whatever you feel like doing."</p><p>"Alright," Aqua said as Mud got up and stepped out of the room. After a moment, Aqua grabbed her stuff and made her way to the door.</p><hr/><p>Palebrook's library, located next to the town hall, wasn't too big of a building, about the size of a decently large house. In addition to holding books for citizens of the town to borrow, it also served as a public archive for Palebrook's local government, holding many documents ranging from journals about the history of the town to transcripts and details from legal disputes between citizens.</p><p>"How may I help you?" the elderly woman at the front desk asked.</p><p>"Uh..." Aqua began, looking at the shelves of books and binders behind the old lady. "Do you have anything on Ursine?"</p><p>"Ursas?" the old lady asked. "We have a few books on Grimm anatomy, behavior, and extermination. Would you like me to bring them out?"</p><p>"No, not Ursas, Ursine," Aqua clarified. "Have you heard of them before? Maybe related to bandits or something?"</p><p>"Hm. I don't know about bandits, but I do recall some old books mentioning the word..." the old lady muttered, turning back towards the shelves. She began rummaging through the shelves, repeatedly pulling out a book, flipping through, and putting it back. Finally, she returned to the front desk holding a messy, old-looking book in her hands. "Here we are! I knew I read it somewhere."</p><p>"What is that?" Aqua asked, taking a look at the front cover. "Uh... 'Explorations and Encounters of Southeast Sanus', by Khaki Phthalo."</p><p>"Yup. It's an old journal from about fifty years back. Khaki Phthalo was an explorer and researcher back in the old days. He would go out into uncharted, often Grimm-infested wilderness and write about what he found in his journals before coming back and publishing them," the old lady explained. "This one details his explorations in the southeast part of the continent, including where Palebrook was eventually built. I remember seeing the word somewhere in here, though I don't exactly remember where..."</p><p>"Thanks," Aqua said, reaching for the book. "Can I, uh, take a look?"</p><p>"It's an old copy that's not in print anymore, so I'm afraid I can't let you take it out of the building, but you're welcome to sit down and read to your heart's content," the old lady said, gesturing to a table near the side of the room. Aqua nodded, stepping away from the front desk and sitting down at the table. She opened the book and flipped through, skimming over the various pages of the author's exploits and the occasional picture.</p><p>"Let's see... Ursine, anything on Ursine..." Aqua muttered, going over the pages. Eventually, she found a section labeled 'the Tribes of Brack Mountain'. She thought for a moment; the name sounded familiar but she couldn't quite place it. "Brack Mountain... isn't that..."</p><p>"Oh, Brack Mountain? That's where the mines are. It's just north of here," the old lady said. "If you're looking into the history of it, I don't know much, but Palebrook was built here, at the foot of the mountain, maybe... thirty years ago?"</p><p>"Oh, okay. Thanks," Aqua said. She stopped skimming and began to read the section in more detail. After all, if this section was about the area where Palebrook would eventually be located, it might have a clue about what she was looking for.</p><p>
  <em>As I continued my travels, I found myself exploring the area around Brack Mountain, a great rocky peak surrounded by smaller peaks, cliffs, and dense forest. I see why Vale has opted not to expand settlements here; though the climate is manageable, the terrain is somewhat rough, and while a settlement could potentially be built, there is little room for farmland. While there are fish and game in the rivers and forest, they would not be nearly enough to feed an entire town.</em>
</p><p>"Huh, so that's why they need supply runs," Aqua muttered.</p><p>
  <em>However, while these conditions may prohibit towns from being developed here, that does not mean the Brack Mountain area is free of inhabitants. Several tribes roam the forests and mountains, each dealing with the hardships of life in the region in their own ways. I spent a few days with the Aspien tribe, a small tribe that lived in the higher parts of the region. While these regions may seem difficult to live in, the Aspien tribe herds goats and forages from the local flora to survive, and the rough terrain makes it difficult for anything more than individual Grimm to attack the tribe. These attacks are easily dealt with. When I initially made contact with the tribe, they gave me quite a warm welcome, offering to me a ...</em>
</p><p>Aqua kept reading as Khaki Phthalo described his few days living alongside the Aspien tribe, communicating with members of the tribe and discovering their way of life. She chuckled at a picture printed across one of the pages, which depicted a somewhat large man in a safari hat holding up a baby goat.</p><p>
  <em>... and after I had left the Aspien tribe, I traveled through the mountains, eventually coming across a large lake that was surprisingly close to the peak. The lake was, as far as I could tell, uncharted on my maps. Considering it was too big to ignore, I felt an obligation to give it a name. I had first encountered the lake by night, and I had seen the reflection of the shattered moon in the lake's calm waters, and so I designated the lake with the name of Moonlight Lake. A river ran down from the lake to the forests below, so the next morning, I followed the river down to the foot of the mountain, where I encountered another tribe, vastly different than the Aspien tribe. They called themselves the Ursine.</em>
</p><p>"The Ursine? So they're some sort of tribe... but what does that have to do with Palebrook?" Aqua muttered, reading onward.</p><p>
  <em>Unlike the Aspien, the Ursine were not nearly as friendly to my presence, though they were not outright hostile. Thus, I set up a camp across the river from them, usually observing their activities from afar rather than interacting with them directly. Similar to the Aspien, their numbers consisted of a few dozen, and from what I could tell, they were hunters and foragers; I did not see any herd animals such as goats or chickens, and I highly doubt they had anywhere to grow crops. Perhaps the most notable aspect of the tribe was their warriors. A great number of the adults of the tribe, both men and women, were warriors of great strength, likely comparable to Huntsmen and Huntresses despite not using Dust - or in some cases, not even using weapons. I once witnessed an Ursine warrior stop a Boarbatusk's charge with his bare hands and shatter its armor in a single blow; that is a feat that I believe most of Vale's Huntsmen would have trouble replicating, even with the equipment they carry.</em>
</p><p>Upon reading about the Ursine tribe's warriors, Aqua's thoughts went back to the bandit chief. The description seemed to fit somewhat; he seemed incredibly strong, and he didn't have any equipment on him besides two primitive-looking axes.</p><p>
  <em>One thing I found interesting about the tribe was their rituals. I cannot be confident about their specifics, but I was lucky enough to observe a ceremony where members of the tribe left offerings of food in an open clearing, surrounding a large effigy of a bear. The area seemed to be sacred ground to them, as they only entered it to pray, partake in rituals, and give offerings, even when potential game such as deer wandered into the area. From what I can gather, the bear is some sort of god or sacred animal to these people, and from the few times I was able to talk to the tribe's warriors, I believe they think of the strength of their warriors as strength offered to them by the bear through the land itself, harnessed through rituals passed down by those who lived in this land long ago; the ones they call their ancestors. I do not doubt it; when the Ursine fight, it is as if they become the bears themselves, trampling and breaking everything that stands in their way. Sometimes, it looked as if they actually became the bears they worshipped, going toe-to-toe with the Ursas of the forest and beating them back in contests of pure strength. However, it could just be that my eyes are tired from these long travels. Perhaps that's where their name comes from; from what I've researched on the old language, the old word for "bear" is "ursus", which is where I assume the name for the "Ursa" Grimm also originated.</em>
</p><p>"The bear, huh? That explains what he was wearing. And sacred ground? Maybe..." Aqua muttered. She heard a door open behind her and looked back to see Mud stepping into the library. "Oh, you're back. You finished talking with Melony?"</p><p>"Yup. Found anything?" Mud asked.</p><p>"I... yeah, actually," Aqua said, turning around and closing the journal. "I think I know why that guy - the bandit chief - wants to destroy the village."</p><p>"Huh, really," Mud said. "You can tell me as we head to the jails. I need your help with something."</p><p>"Alright," Aqua replied, standing up and stepping over to the front counter. She handed the journal over to the old lady. "Thanks for letting me look through this."</p><p>"Anytime," the old lady said as Aqua followed Mud out the door and towards the town's jail.</p><p>"So, what'd you find?" Mud asked.</p><p>"Well, I was reading through this journal about this explorer from... I think fifty years ago?" Aqua began. "He wrote about his travels in the southern parts of Vale, back before this town was built, and - "</p><p>"I don't need to know that," Mud said. "Just tell me what the hell 'Ursine' means and what it's gotta do with why that guy wants to destroy the town."</p><p>"Uh, okay. Point is, there was a tribe at the foot of Brack Mountain, along the river," Aqua explained. "They called themselves the Ursine, and they had a lot of strong warriors. Like, as strong as Huntsmen."</p><p>"Eh, 'as strong as Huntsmen' can vary a decent bit from what I've seen," Mud said. "But the foot of Brack Mountain, huh? Along the river? Sounds kinda like Palebrook."</p><p>"I think so too. Anyways, these Ursine, they worshipped the bear or something. Even had sacred ground where they performed rituals and left offerings," Aqua continued. "They believed that their strength came from the bear, through that sacred ground. That's where they got their name. It means 'bear' in the old language, or something like that."</p><p>"So there used to be a warrior tribe here, and they had sacred ground set aside to worship their bear-gods or something. Now, there's a big mining town smack-dab on where that used to be," Mud said. "I think I get what's going on here."</p><p>"You think the bandit chief is from that tribe?" Aqua asked. "But where are all the others? What happened to them?"</p><p>"What do you think? Some prospector finds ore veins in the mountains, and suddenly some unremarkable bit of land at the foot of the mountain now seems like the prime place to put a mining town, " Mud said. "But oh no, there's some weird tribe already there! You think the people Vale put in charge of establishing Palebrook asked them to move out nicely?"</p><p>"They wouldn't... and from what I read, the Ursine wouldn't let them just come and take the land," Aqua said. "So they probably forced the Ursine out."</p><p>"Yup. Probably violently too. They might be strong, but when there's mining money at stake, I wouldn't doubt they hired even stronger mercenaries and Huntsmen to clear them out, or maybe even slaughter them, depending on how much they wanna get rid of the problem," Mud said. "Being driven from your home, forced to wander the wilderness... I can sympathize a bit. If that bandit chief was part of the Ursine tribe, I don't blame him for wanting to take his revenge on Palebrook."</p><p>"But we can't let that happen!" Aqua exclaimed. "All these people here, if this town gets destroyed the way he's probably looking to destroy it... it'll be bad. Really bad."</p><p>"Calm down, we ain't gonna let him do that," Mud said. "We're gonna figure out where he's hiding with his bandit friends, and we're gonna take the fight to him."</p><p>"But how?" Aqua asked. "I thought the captured bandit wasn't talking... has anything changed? You said you had something planned for him right?"</p><p>"Yeah, well, here's the thing," Mud said. "When I interrogated him last time, he didn't tell me anything useful, besides that bit about Viola being the traitor - something you insist isn't true, by the way. Anything new on that?"</p><p>"Not really..."</p><p>"Eh, well, we can worry about that later," Mud said. "Anyways, the thing is, last time I interrogated him, Melony was watching me."</p><p>"Huh?" Aqua asked. "What does that change?"</p><p>"Well, unfortunately, Melony's a stuck-up who adheres to quite a bit of rules. Some of those rules include humane treatment of prisoners."</p><p>"Wait..." Aqua muttered, pausing for a moment to think. "So that means..."</p><p>"With her over my shoulder, I couldn't do much more than shout at the guy, maybe slap him around a bit," Mud explained. "But if I go behind her back and interrogate the guy without her knowing... well, I think we'll probably get a bit more info."</p><p>"Behind her back..." Aqua muttered. "Wait, you don't need me for this, right? I'm not sure if I can - "</p><p>"Don't you wanna figure out where the bandits are holed up? I can't ask Melony or any of the town guard for help, so you'll have to assist me," Mud said. They arrived at the jail and stepped into the lobby. Mud walked up to the front desk, where a man was waiting.</p><p>"Oh hey, can I help you?" the man said.</p><p>"I need to see the bandit that came in two nights ago," Mud said.</p><p>"Another interrogation? I hadn't heard anything about this from the captain," the man said. He reached for a phone at the side of the desk. "Hang on for a second while I call - "</p><p>"Hold up," Mud said, grabbing the man's hand and stopping him from reaching the phone. "Look, this isn't exactly an approved visit, but the town's in pretty dire straits, considering what happened last night. I need information from the prisoner to help you guys, but Melony probably won't approve of my methods, so... how about she doesn't hear about this?"</p><p>"Uh..." the man said, pausing for a moment. "Sorry, but I gotta call this in. It's policy; we can't just let interrogations go unchecked."</p><p>"Huh. Well, I guess if that's the case..." Mud said, reaching into her pocket. She pulled out a few lien cards and slapped them into the man's hand. "What do you say? Maybe there was no interrogation to leave unchecked?</p><p>"I uh... sure," the man said, pocketing the lien. He handed Mud a key before pressing a button, opening the security door to the side hallway, where the cells were. "No interrogation, right. Didn't see anything."</p><p>"Good to hear," Mud said, stepping towards the cells. She stopped, gesturing for Aqua to follow.</p><p>"Uh, okay," Aqua said. She followed Mud down the hall. "Did you just... bribe that guy?"</p><p>"Hey, it worked," Mud replied. She stopped in front of a cell by the end of the hall, right before the interrogation room, before banging on the door. "You awake in there?"</p><p>"Huh?" a voice said from inside. Aqua saw a somewhat thin man with stubble and messy hair, maybe a little taller than her, get up from the bed inside the cell. "What do you want?"</p><p>"It's interrogation time," Mud said, unlocking the door and stepping inside. "You have information, and we want it."</p><p>"I told you, I ain't tellin you nothin!" the bandit said. "You can go and - "</p><p>Mud suddenly punched the bandit in the jaw, interrupting him and sending him flying back against the bed. Before he could recover, Mud grabbed him by his hair, pulling him back up before socking him in the gut, causing him to reel over.</p><p>"Urk... urgh..." the bandit groaned, clutching his stomach.</p><p>"Don't worry, you'll talk later," Mud said, grabbing the bandit's shirt and pulling him up. She put a hand around the back of his head before turning and smashing his face against the wall. Aqua heard a sickening crunch, watching as blood started to dribble down from his nose.</p><p>"Uh..." Aqua began to say. "Is that..."</p><p>"Don't worry, I'm just softening him up. The actual interrogation comes later," Mud said as the bandit raised his arms, weakly trying to grab at Mud. In response, Mud smashed his face into the wall again. And again. She drove his face into the concrete wall a few more times, each time creating a larger bloodstain where his nose impacted the wall, until his arms grew limp. Then, she released him, letting his body fall to the ground.</p><p>"Is he... did you kill him?" Aqua asked nervously, looking down at the bandit's bloody face and mangled nose.</p><p>"Eh, he'll just be unconscious for a minute or two," Mud replied. She grabbed the bandit's arms, dragging him towards the interrogation room. "Help me get the door."</p><p>"Uh... okay," Aqua said, stepping behind Mud and pulling open the door to the interrogation room, which consisted of nothing more than two metal chairs and a metal table between them. Mud pulled the bandit inside and propped him up on one of the chairs before setting down her backpack. She rummaged through for a few seconds before pulling out a rope and a pair of pliers.</p><p>"Hey, let me know if he starts waking up, will you?" Mud asked.</p><p>"Alright," Aqua replied nervously, closing the door to the interrogation room. She watched the bandit as Mud began tying his legs, as well as one of his arms, to the chair. Soon, the bandit began to stir slightly. "I think he's waking up."</p><p>"Just on time," Mud said as she finished up tying the man's right arm. She stood up and walked next to the bandit, slapping him over the head. "You awake?"</p><p>"Huh... what..." the bandit muttered, slowly coming to his senses. He put his free hand to his nose and pulled away, then began to struggle, only to realize that the rest of his limbs were bound. "Where am I? What did you - "</p><p>"Relax, you're in the interrogation room. And if you thought that beating was painful, you won't like what comes next," Mud said. "Unless you give us some good info, of course."</p><p>"You still want to know where we're holed up?" the bandit asked. A smirk came over his face. "It'll take more than a broken nose to make me give them up!"</p><p>"I was hoping you'd say that," Mud said. She turned to Aqua. "Hold down his arm."</p><p>"Uh... okay," Aqua replied, grabbing the wrist of the bandit's free hand and pinning it to the table. Though the bandit tried to pull away, Aqua was stronger and was using both of her arms, so he was able to keep him in place without too much effort.</p><p>"You ever hear about the Gunmetals? They're a mercenary group, and a pretty successful one at that. I ran with them for a while a few years back, and they taught me a lot of useful things," Mud said, raising her pliers. She grabbed the bandit's pinky finger, pulling it out straight. "One of those things? Fingernails are pretty damn sensitive."</p><p>"What are you - AAUGH!"</p><p>The bandit suddenly screamed in pain, pulling back hard at his arm. Aqua kept it in place as she looked over in morbid curiosity to see Mud holding a small, slightly-bloody fingernail with her pliers.</p><p>"That came out pretty good," Mud said, putting the nail down on the table before looking back over. "Alright, time for round two."</p><p>"Please, just let me go, it hurts, I can't - AAUGH!"</p><p>The bandit screamed again, louder this time as Aqua heard a ripping noise from the table. This time, she didn't look; she was afraid of what she would see if she did.</p><p>"Ooh, that one didn't come out as clean," Mud said. "You ready to talk, or are we going for round three?"</p><p>"Please, I'll talk! I'll talk! Just get those pliers away from me!" the bandit half-shouted and half-sobbed as tears ran down his face. "It hurts so much..."</p><p>"There we go. That wasn't so hard now, was it?" Mud asked, throwing the pliers back in her backpack as Aqua let go of the bandit's hand. "So, where are you guys hiding out?"</p><p>"Moonlight Lake," the bandit said, tenderly gripping his fingers and wincing. "In the forest are along the north shore of Moonlight lake. We set up a base a bit into that area."</p><p>"Thank you," Mud said. "See? It's just that easy."</p><p>"What about Viola?" Aqua asked. "You accused her of working with you guys, but who's the actual traitor?"</p><p>"Huh? Who's Viola?" the bandit asked. "Look, the chief told me to get captured and tell you guys that some girl in the town guard whose name starts with V is working with us. That's all I know."</p><p>"Wait," Mud said. "He told you to get captured? Explain, or I'll do a lot worse than pull a few nails."</p><p>"I don't get it either! The chief sent me on the supply raid, but he told me to get captured and tell you guys that," the bandit said. "I just followed orders, and boy, do I regret it."</p><p>"So you don't know who the actual collaborator is," Aqua said. "Well, that sucks."</p><p>"It does, but we got what we came for," Mud said. She untied the bandit from the chair. "Now, are you gonna walk yourself back to your cell, or do I have to smash your face in again?"</p><p>"I... I'll walk," the bandit said, getting up and walking to the door. Mud followed behind him, pushing him to his cell and shoving him inside before closing and locking the door behind him.</p><p>"Well, we still don't know who's working with the bandits, but we got an idea on where their base is," Mud said. "I'd say that was a success."</p><p>"Uh..." Aqua muttered nervously. "That was..."</p><p>"Oh yeah, this is the first time you've seen something like that, huh?" Mud asked. "Sorry, probably should've warned you."</p><p>"Yeah, I've never really, well..." Aqua said, trailing off. She paused for a moment. "I guess it did get us the information we needed... but you seemed really fine with it. How many times have you done that? Torturing people, pulling fingernails?"</p><p>"Only a few times, but I sat in on a decent amount of interrogations," Mud explained. "That group I mentioned I ran with? The Gunmetals? They're a pretty notorious band of mercenaries that work all over Remnant, and we had their fair share of jobs finding or retrieving info. Some of that involved beating it out of people, so, yeah."</p><p>"That... makes sense," Aqua said. "How long have you been doing this? Mercenary work, I mean?"</p><p>"Let's see..." Mud muttered, looking away for a moment. She brought up her fingers, counting as she rubbed her chin in thought before turning back to Aqua. "Maybe... about nine years, give or take?"</p><p>"Nine?" Aqua exclaimed. "But that means... if you're about eighteen, that's half your life!"</p><p>"Yeah, well... it wasn't exactly a career path I actually chose. Some things happened, and suddenly I'm running around with a gun, working jobs all over Remnant," Mud said, moving towards the exit to the hallway. "Anyways, we should probably go tell Melony what we found out. She'll be glad to know we have the location for the base."</p><p>"Wait, but didn't you not want to inform her about this interrogation?" Aqua asked, following Mud into the front lobby. "You even bribed that guy, didn't you?"</p><p>"Yeah, well, she wouldn't have approved of it. But now that we've gone and done it, there's nothing she can really do about it," Mud explained, tossing the keys back to the guy at the front. "She can't exactly un-torture the guy, so the only thing she can do about it is accept the info. Plus, she hired me to do a job, and that's just what I'm doing."</p><p>"I guess that makes sense," Aqua said. "But before we go, can I stop by and talk to Viola? I wanna let her know what's happened."</p><p>"Sure," Mud said. She looked over to the guy at the front desk, who nodded and opened the door to the other block of cells. "Don't take too long, though."</p><p>"Thanks," Aqua said, stepping away and down the hall. She made her way down to Viola's cell and saw her staring at the wall. "Hey, Viola!"</p><p>"Huh? Oh, Aqua!" Viola exclaimed, standing and walking up to the bars separating them. "How have you been?"</p><p>"I've been... well, things have been hectic since I visited yesterday, but I'm feeling... decent," Aqua said. "I should probably be more concerned about you. How have you been holding up in jail? Was last night fine?"</p><p>"To be honest, it has been quite boring. Nothing ever happens besides the guards bringing my food, so I have passed the time by exercising and counting the bricks on the walls," Viola said. "But you said things have been hectic outside? What has happened?"</p><p>"Well, Mud roped me into a night shift guarding the wall, since some guards were out of commission from the attack the night before that," Aqua explained. She proceeded to tell about her encounter with the Beowolves, the sniper, and the bandit chief.</p><p>"That... that is strange," Viola muttered. "What did he mean about the Ursine reclaiming Palebrook? Do you know?"</p><p>"I didn't at first, and neither did Mud, but I took a look at the library. Apparently, the Ursine was some old warrior tribe that used to live where Palebrook is now," Aqua explained. "Whoever the bandit chief is, I think he's related to that tribe, and he probably wants to retake the land after the Vale government forced them out to build Palebrook."</p><p>"That is troubling. To think that a warrior as powerful as he is wishes to destroy the town," Viola said. "Do you think the Palebrook guard will be able to fend him off?"</p><p>"It's, well, it's not looking good. The bandits attacked the town last night, and there were a lot of guards injured... even some casualties. With the number of defenders out for the count, I'm not sure how long the town can last against these attacks, let alone a full-on assault," Aqua said. Viola looked down, her lips turned into a frown. "But it's not all bad! I think we've got a way out of this mess."</p><p>"Huh?" Viola asked, looking up. "What is it?"</p><p>"Mud and I, uh, interrogated the bandit that was captured," Aqua said, sparing Viola the more gruesome details. "We know where the bandits are hiding, so if we can hit them before they hit us, we can avoid the town getting attacked!"</p><p>"That does seem like a good plan," Viola said. "Mounting a pre-emptive strike before the enemy can ready their own attack... I can see it working well."</p><p>"Hopefully it does work out well," Aqua said. "Also, the bandit said that the chief told him to specifically give details about the person working with the bandits that would lead them to you. Along with the evidence, it looks like whoever's collaborating with the bandits is targeting you specifically. Do you have any idea why?"</p><p>"I... I do not know," Viola said. "I do not think I have made any enemies during my time in Palebrook, and I see no reason why they would target me specifically..."</p><p>"Huh. Well, I guess that confession from the bandit does help clear you a bit, though there's still the issue of the evidence in your locker," Aqua said. "If we can't figure out who put it there, you're still the prime suspect"</p><p>"That is true," Viola said. "And with all that is happening right now, I doubt the people would rest easy if I were to be released unless my name is fully cleared."</p><p>"Unfortunately, I agree," Aqua said. "Anyways, I don't want to keep Mud waiting too long. I'll keep trying to find a way to prove your innocence, so just sit tight."</p><p>"Thank you," Viola said. "And good luck. If you are planning on joining the strike on the bandits, I think you will need it."</p><p>"Thanks," Aqua said before turning and stepping away from Viola's cell. She made her way out of the hallway and back to the front lobby, where Mud was waiting.</p><p>"You done?" Mud asked. "We ain't got all day."</p><p>"Yeah, let's go," Aqua said, and the two headed out towards the guardhouse.</p><hr/><p>"You did what?!" Melony shouted, banging her fist on the table.</p><p>"Look, I just pulled a few fingernails, alright?" Mud said. "They'll grow back! It's not like I chopped off his finger or anything, and besides, I got useful info out of it."</p><p>"You - I - urgh," Melony groaned. "Whatever. What's done is done, and I can't deny that you've gotten valuable information out of him."</p><p>"So, I was thinking you could lend me some of your guard, and we can go storm their base before they come down and attack Palebrook," Mud said. "Sound like a deal?"</p><p>"No," Melony replied.</p><p>"What?" Mud asked. "Why not?"</p><p>"While I do wish to eliminate the bandits, protecting the town takes first priority," Melony said. "I will have what is left of my guard dedicated to holding Palebrook's walls for tonight, rather than assisting in your operation."</p><p>"What, you're just gonna circle the wagons and wait for them to come down and attack?" Mud asked. "And then what? Just do it the next night? And the next? You're already taking casualties, if you haven't noticed!"</p><p>"It's just for tonight. I've called for support from Vale's council, and they have already sent troops to assist in Palebrook's defense and deal with the bandits," Melony explained. "They should arrive in about twenty-four hours, from what I've been told."</p><p>"We might not have twenty-four hours! Hell, this town might not even last the night!" Mud said. She was the one slamming her fist against the table this time. "You've got dead and injured guards, supplies raided and running low, bandits hacking away at your walls, and news of a traitor within the guard running around town. Fear's running high right now, and I bet a ton of Grimm are gathering outside those walls, just waiting for the perfect opportunity to roll up and trample everything into the ground."</p><p>"And if we hold out against those Grimm, the reinforcement troops from the council should take care of that, as well as our bandit problem," Melony said. "It is just a single night. Despite our reduced number, I am confident that the Palebrook guard will hold out against the bandits and the Grimm for tonight. You are welcome to assault the bandit base yourself, but you will not have assistance from my guard. And that is final."</p><p>"Tch." Mud turned to Roland, who was sitting at the side of the table. "What about you? You ain't part of her guard."</p><p>"Sorry, but I kinda agree with Melony," Roland said. "If reinforcements from Vale are coming to help, I think the best thing we can do is hunker down and defend the town until they arrive and clean everything up."</p><p>"Well, if you wanna wait here as the bandits and the Grimm collapse down onto you, you can do that," Mud said, standing up from the table and stepping towards the door. She gestured for Aqua to follow. "Come on kid, let's go."</p><p>"You really don't think they're right?" Aqua asked as they stepped out of the guardhouse and onto the street. "Defending the town does seem reasonable..."</p><p>"It does. Problem is, there ain't enough to defend the town from what's coming," Mud said. "The last few attacks and the supply raid? Those were just softening up the town, spreading fear, testing defenses. Tonight, they're gonna attack full-force, alongside a shitload of Grimm."</p><p>"Tonight?" Aqua asked. "Why tonight?"</p><p>"The situation in Palebrook's getting worse and worse. Supplies running low from raids, fear attracting Grimm along the edges of town, escalating attacks against the walls softening up the guard... and they haven't even thrown their full force against the town yet," Mud explained. "The chief's just hanging around the outskirts, and that chick with the giant fists didn't even show up."</p><p>"That's true..." Aqua muttered.</p><p>"If I were the bandits, I would attack tonight. And the chief seems to think so too, considering he came down last night to scout out the town personally," Mud said. "Plus, if they find out that reinforcements are coming from Vale, they'd know that tonight would be their last chance in a while."</p><p>"But if the Grimm were gathering outside of the town to attack, wouldn't the bandits want to avoid them?" Aqua asked. "After all, the Grimm don't exactly discriminate between townsfolk and bandits."</p><p>"If the bandits attack at the same time as the Grimm, they kinda will, especially if they take care to avoid the larger hordes," Mud said. "Who's gonna have more fear coming off them, a bandit running around town looting shit or some townsfolk running for his life?"</p><p>"Good point," Aqua said. "So, what do we do? Defend the town? We can't just run away..."</p><p>"Yeah, well, even if Melony's being stupid right now, she still hired me to take care of the bandit problem," Mud said. "So that's what I'm gonna do, even if I can't get any backup from the guard. You coming?"</p><p>"Where? You mean up to the bandit base?" Aqua asked. "Without any help from the guard?"</p><p>"Yup. Just the two of us," Mud said. "Normally I'd just force you to come, make it part of your training... but this'll be different. There's gonna be a lot of enemies, many of them probably as strong as that girl with the big fists who fucked you up, plus that chief guy. It'll be dangerous. Probably really dangerous."</p><p>"I..." Aqua looked down, taking a moment to think. Then, she looked up. "I'll go."</p><p>"You sure?" Mud asked. "I'm serious here. This is the real deal."</p><p>"I'm sure," Aqua said. "That's what a Huntress would do, right?"</p><p>"Alright, just don't go crying to me if you regret it," Mud said. "And I'll try to protect you best I can, but... try not to die. If you have to, just dip out and let me take care of the rest."</p><p>"Got it," Aqua said, and the two set off towards the Northern exit, heading towards the lake high in the mountains.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>And that's chapter 8! Not too much action, but we're setting up for things to come. Some old history is uncovered, Mud does a little dirty work, and it looks like our teacher-student duo is headed to the mountains. Please, I encourage you to leave a comment no matter how short or insignificant you think it is, as they make my day and I crave them. Any feedback at all is appreciated, as I want to know what my audience is thinking. Thanks to everyone who read up to here, and have a nice day!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Round Two... Fight!</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>Aqua stepped up to the door of the guest room with a tray, on top of which was a bowl of seafood stew and a cup of water. She tentatively balanced it on one hand as she knocked on the door with the other.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Come in," Resina said. Aqua pushed the door open to see Resina sitting on the bed, facing towards the door. "Oh, hi Aqua."</em></p><p>"<em>Hey," Aqua replied, setting down the tray on a nearby desk. "I brought you some stew. Mom says you have to eat it in order to get your strength back up, so..."</em></p><p>"<em>Thank you," Resina said, making her way over to the desk. She sat down and began digging in. "This is good. Tell your mom she'd make a great chef if she wasn't a healer."</em></p><p>"<em>I'll let her know."</em></p><p>"<em>You seem kinda down," Resina said, putting down her spoon and turning towards Aqua. "Something wrong?"</em></p><p>"<em>Yeah, well..." Aqua turned away for a moment. "It's nothing. Don't worry about it."</em></p><p>"<em>Come on, don't be shy," Resina said. "I won't pry if you really don't want to say, but if you need someone to talk to..."</em></p><p>"<em>I guess... well, the thing is..." Aqua said, sitting down on the bed. "I talked to my parents about wanting to become a Huntress. They don't seem too happy about it."</em></p><p>"<em>Why not?"</em></p><p>"<em>They said it's dangerous," Aqua said. "They don't want me going around and fighting Grimm... they just want me to stay in the village."</em></p><p>"<em>I mean, that's kinda true," Resina said. "Sure, the life of a Huntress might be exciting... but it's not the safest line of work. Believe me, I know."</em></p><p>"<em>Huh?" Aqua asked. "But I thought you said you weren't a Huntress?"</em></p><p>"<em>I wasn't, but my mother was," Resina said. "Honestly, she wasn't that good of a mother... she was more often away on missions than at home to take care of us. Then, one day, she just never came back. Never knew what happened to her."</em></p><p>"<em>I see..."</em></p><p>"<em>So yeah, it's a dangerous job," Resina said. "But if you really want to be a Huntress, don't let that discourage you."</em></p><p>"<em>Huh?" Aqua asked. "But didn't you say..."</em></p><p>"<em>Sure, it's dangerous, but that doesn't mean it's not worth doing. You'll get to see the world, help people, defend humanity from the Grimm, and get really good at fighting in the process," Resina explained. "So if that's what you really want to do, don't let anyone discourage you from it, whether it's me, your parents, or anyone else."</em></p><p>"<em>I..." Aqua paused for a moment. "Okay. I'll try."</em></p><p>"<em>Good," Resina said. "By the way, do you know how long it'll be until this sunburn heals? I kinda miss being able to lie down on my back."</em></p><p>"<em>Depending on how quickly your aura comes back to full strength, anywhere from a few days to a week," Aqua said. "Until then, just try to bear with it."</em></p><p>"<em>I guess I've got no choice," Resina said as she continued eating. Aqua stood there for a moment, watching her, before she headed back to her room.</em></p><hr/><p>
  <strong>Chapter 9: Round Two... Fight!</strong>
</p><p>Fortunately for Aqua and Mud, they didn't have to climb the entire mountain on foot. Besides the road north to the next town, there was also another, less well-kept road leading up to Palebrook's mines in the mountains. The two girls were able to hitch a ride from a local miner, sitting in the back of his pickup truck as they made their way up the dusty old path to the mines. However, that road only took them part of the way up the mountain; from there, they had to make the rest of the way through dense forest, steep hills, and rocky cliffs.</p><p>"Why did they make their base so high up?" Aqua asked, stepping onto a rock jutting out of the cliffside before shifting her weight. She gasped as the foothold gave way, and the only thing that kept her from falling all the way back to the bottom of the cliff was her grabbing the rope that was dug into the top of the cliff, courtesy of Mud. "There's no path, and all these cliffs... how do they even get up here?"</p><p>"Watch where you're stepping, kid. Test the footholds before you actually put your weight on them," Mud instructed. She had already climbed her way to the top of the cliff and was looking down at Aqua, waiting for her to make her way up. While Aqua could have grabbed a water crystal and used a tendril of water to easily pull her way to the top of the cliff, she opted to climb the slow way instead, conserving her aura for the fight ahead of her. "And they made their base up here <em>because</em> it's so hard to get up to. Makes it harder for them to get caught."</p><p>"Yeah, well, I guess that makes sense," Aqua muttered, grunting as she pulled herself up the rope. Eventually she made it to the top, taking a moment to catch her breath. "But man, do they have to do this every time they wanna go up or down?"</p><p>"They know the mountain better than we do, so they'll know the easiest paths. We don't have the luxury of finding those paths right now," Mud explained. She began to step away, making her way further towards the peak. "By the way, we're almost at the lake. I think. Last chance to turn back."</p><p>"I told you, I'm coming with you," Aqua said, following Mud. "I want to protect the town... and maybe there'll be evidence here to help Viola."</p><p>"There might be, but we can worry about that later," Mud said. "After all, not much point in getting evidence to free her if she gets killed when the city's burnt to the ground."</p><p>"Good point," Aqua said. After a few more minutes of walking through dense forest, the trees finally opened up to reveal a wide clearing occupied by a large lake, quite a bit larger than Aqua was expecting at the top of a mountain. Though she couldn't tell precisely, she figured it was several hundred meters across, with forest surrounding all of it.</p><p>"Stay in the forest," Mud ordered, gesturing for Aqua to hide behind the trees as she did the same. She pointed out over the lake, towards the opposite side. "You see that?"</p><p>"I, uh..." Aqua began to reply, squinting her eyes. Far in the distance she noticed several makeshift wooden houses and canvas tents grouped together by the shore, in a clearing on the opposite side of the lake. "Is that their base?"</p><p>"Probably," Mud said. She began walking again, this time parallel to the shore of the lake. "The forest seems to stretch all the way around, so we'll use it to cover our approach. Stay in the trees and try not to stay in sight of the base."</p><p>"Got it," Aqua said, following Mud as she made her way through the forest, occasionally glancing back at the bandit base across the lake. "So, what do we do when we reach the base?"</p><p>"We'll get as close as we can without getting spotted. For you, that'll probably mean stopping somewhere in the forest around the base," Mud explained. "Meanwhile, if we haven't been found yet, I'll sneak in and plant some charges. Put them in disarray before we strike."</p><p>"Huh? Charges?"</p><p>"Yeah, charges. Like, remotely detonated explosives," Mud explained, reaching into her backpack. She pulled out a brown package with a few pieces of wire running in and out. "It'll be easier if we soften them up before we reveal ourselves. Thin them out a bit before we actually get into the fight."</p><p>"I guess that makes sense," Aqua said. "So go in once I see explosions?"</p><p>"Exactly. Try to take out as many of them as possible while they're in disarray," Mud explained. "And if you bump into that chief guy, or someone else you can't handle, run away and let me take care of them."</p><p>"By take them out, do you mean..."</p><p>Mud sighed. "I guess you're not really used to this kind of mission. Knocking them out or driving them off is fine; our main goal is doing enough damage to keep them from attacking the town, at least until the reinforcements from Vale arrive," Mud explained. "But they're gonna fight back, and if you end up in a position where it's either your life or theirs... try not to hesitate."</p><p>"I... I'll try," Aqua said. The two continued on through the forest, Aqua following Mud as they made their way to the base. About halfway across the lake, Mud stopped.</p><p>"Wait..." Mud muttered, looking over at the base. "Something's wrong."</p><p>"Huh?" Aqua asked, watching Mud stare off into the distance. "What is it?"</p><p>"The base... considering they're supposed to be preparing to raid the town, it should be busy as hell," Mud said. "But there's no movement. I don't see anyone, just buildings and tents."</p><p>"Does that mean they've already headed down to Palebrook?" Aqua asked.</p><p>"Maybe. Let's take a closer look," Mud said, moving faster now through the forest. "Keep up, but still stay quiet as you can."</p><p>"Okay," Aqua said, following Mud as they quickly made their way around the lake. A few minutes later, they reached the edge of the clearing where the base was located.</p><p>"It's empty," Mud said, stepping out of the forest and into the base. Sure enough, no one was waiting for them, just a bunch of buildings and tents distributed haphazardly around the clearing, along with some tables, racks, and a fire pit with a flame still going inside. "Looks like they're not here."</p><p>"And they're headed for the town," Aqua said. "Darn it! Were we too late?"</p><p>"Seems like it," Mud said, her eyes focused on the ground. She walked around as if following something, finding her way towards the edge of the camp. "Lotta recent footprints here. A big group left together; they're probably on the way down right now."</p><p>"How recent?" Aqua asked. "Can we catch up and intercept them?"</p><p>"I'm not sure. Actually, wait..." Mud said, crouching closer to the ground. She turned her head, looking all over the camp. "More footprints. Not as much, but they scatter into the forest around the base. More recent."</p><p>"What does that mean?" Aqua asked.</p><p>"It means... shit! It's an ambush!" Mud shouted, suddenly leaping towards Aqua. "Get down!"</p><p>
  <strong>BANG!</strong>
</p><p>As Mud tackled Aqua to the ground, a bullet whizzed through the air, passing through the air where Aqua was just standing. As they hit the ground, Mud pulled out her rifle, firing towards the forest where the bullets had come from. Before Aqua could react to any of this, Mud had already dragged her behind a small shed, out of the line of fire.</p><p>"We need to move and take the attack. They've probably surrounded the base right now," Mud said, peeking out and firing back into the forest, only to be met with a volley of bullets from what sounded like multiple automatic rifles. As she hid back behind the shed, Aqua saw two men emerging from the forest on the other side of the base, one with a rifle and the other with a sword and shield.</p><p>"Two more over there," Aqua said. "You want me to take care of them?"</p><p>"Go ahead, kid. I'll keep these guys occupied. But be careful, there's probably gonna be more than that," Mud said, grabbing a small canister from her pocket and pulling a pin out of the top before tossing it out into the trees. A few seconds later, an explosion rocked the forest, blowing away several of the attackers while distracting several more. Aqua used the brief opportunity to break away from the shed, sprinting towards the bandits coming from the other side of the base.</p><p><em>Take out the one with the gun first,</em> Aqua thought to herself as said bandit raised his rifle. She dodged to the side, avoiding a stream of bullets as she ducked behind a tent for cover. She reached into her bag, pulling out two Dust crystals; one water and one fire. The former became a tendril of water as she leaped over the tent, putting herself back in sight of the bandits.</p><p>"There she is!" the one with the sword shouted as the one with the rifle aimed up at her. Before he could shoot, Aqua grabbed the fire crystal with her water tendril and slung it forward, sending it hurtling at high speeds into the ground right at the rifleman's feet. A fiery explosion consumed the two bandits; the swordsman, who was near the edge of the blast, stumbled out of the fire coughing, while the rifleman was blown away, smashing against a nearby building where he lay still.</p><p><em>One more,</em> Aqua thought, pointing her spear at the sword-wielding bandit. As he regained his bearings, he shouted and charged Aqua, raising his sword and attempting to divert Aqua's spear with his shield as he closed in. Aqua raised her spear, avoiding the swordsman's attempt to bash it away, before parrying his downward slash and sending him stumbling to the side. She lashed out with her water tendril, grabbing his wrist and pulling him closer. As he stumbled forward, Aqua bashed him over the head with the shaft of her spear.</p><p>"There they are!"</p><p>Aqua heard someone shout from the forest as the swordsman fell to the ground, unconscious. Looking over, she saw three more bandits emerging from the forest; two men with a large one-handed mace and a bow, as well as a woman with a dagger in each hand. Aqua reached into her bag and pulled out an electric Dust crystal, grabbing it with her tendril.</p><p>"There!" Aqua shouted, slinging the crystal towards the three bandits. However, they scattered before the crystal hit the ground, and the blast of lightning that followed only grazed them. The bandit with the mace stepped towards Aqua, drawing his weapon back. Aqua ducked underneath the mace as it swung towards her head and thrust her spear into his chest, knocking him away and to the ground as his aura shattered. Suddenly, she felt a sting of pain as something struck her back.</p><p>"Gah!" Aqua gasped, stumbling forward as she turned to see the woman with the daggers behind her, her dagger already raised for another strike. She was too close for Aqua to drive her away with her spear, so Aqua struck her with her water tendril, interrupting her attack as she knocked her away and to the ground. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed the bowman nock an arrow in place as he drew his bowstring back.</p><p>"No you don't!" Aqua shouted, raising a barrier of water as the bowman fired his arrow. Hardened by Aqua's aura, the barrier repelled the arrow, bouncing it towards the ground. Letting down the barrier, Aqua dashed towards the bowman as he nocked another arrow, drawing the bowstring back once more.</p><p>
  <em>And... now!</em>
</p><p>As the arrow released, Aqua stepped to the side, letting the arrow fly by her before continuing forward. Before the bowman could nock a third arrow, Aqua swung her spear, knocking the bow out of his hands and sending him stumbling back. With one more thrust she launched the bowman back, smashing him through a nearby shack and shattering his aura.</p><p>"You!" Aqua heard the dagger-wielding bandit shout. She turned around to see the dagger-wielding bandit leaping towards her, both knives drawn back and ready to stab down into her. Aqua reached out with her water tendril, grabbing the bandit out of the air before stepping to the side and using her momentum to swing the bandit around. She slammed the bandit into the side of a building, smashing through the wooden wall as the bandit's aura shattered and she crumpled to the ground.</p><p>"That's... are there... any more?" Aqua asked, scanning around. She felt adrenaline running through her veins as she caught her breath, looking for another threat. Gunfire rang out in the background, and she turned back towards where she had left Mud. <em>I should go back and -</em></p><p>"Where do you think you're going?!"</p><p>Aqua leapt back as a giant metal fist smashed into the ground, leaving a human-sized crater where she was standing just a moment ago. On the other end of that fist was a familiar orange-haired girl, the same one Aqua had fought just two nights prior.</p><p>"Looks like intel was right," Rana said, pulling her fist up and turning to face Aqua. "You two actually tried to come up here and attack the camp, huh?"</p><p>"Wait, intel?" Aqua asked, raising her spear towards Rana. "What do you mean?"</p><p>"Aw, fuck. I don't wanna have to explain anything to you," Rana said, drawing her fist back. "I think it'll be easier to just kill you instead!"</p><p><em>Crap,</em> Aqua thought as Rana leaped towards her, fist ready to pound her into the dirt. Aqua leaped back, letting Rana crater the ground once again as she maintained her distance. <em>If I try to attack directly, she's just gonna grab my spear like last time...</em></p><p>"What're you running around for? You trying to stall until that mercenary comes in and saves you like last time?" Rana asked. "Too bad for you, cause my bro's leading the rest of our guys against her right now. Trust me, we'll have a lot of time to ourselves, even if she does make it out alive."</p><p>"Oh, she'll make it out fine," Aqua said. She grabbed a fire Dust crystal from her bag with her water tendril. "That just means I'll have to beat you before she does."</p><p>"What're you even talking about?" Rana asked. "You couldn't even beat me with that purple bitch at your side, and you think you can take me on alone?"</p><p>"I can try."</p><p>"Ha! Well, if you're so eager for an ass-kicking, then I guess I'll have to oblige!"</p><p><em>Here she comes,</em> Aqua thought, watching Rana step towards her. She took the fire crystal in her tendril and slung it towards Rana, only to see her catch it in her giant hands, the explosion snuffing out between her fingers.</p><p>"What, you thought that'd actually work?" Rana taunted. Though the fire crystal had exploded right in Rana's fist, the only visible damage was scorch marks across her metal fingers and palm. "You didn't think I saw you do that to my guys just now? You're really fucking stupid, you know that?"</p><p>"Tch." Aqua dove to the side as Rana jumped towards her, letting her fist fly through where she just was and smash through one of the many tables scattered about the base.</p><p>"Fuck... would you just STAY STILL?!" Rana shouted, smashing both of her fists into the ground. The shockwave from the strike reverberated through the earth, shaking and cracking the ground beneath Aqua's feet and causing her to stumble. Rana took the opportunity to leap towards Aqua once more, and this time Aqua's feet weren't steady enough for her to leap away.</p><p><em>Darn it...</em> Aqua thought, bringing up her spear to block Rana's fist. Her arms immediately felt as if they were on fire as she strained with all of her might to keep the giant metal fist from crushing her. With the last bits of her concentration, Aqua shot her water tendril out past Rana's fists, smacking her right in the face.</p><p>"Ack!" Rana cried out, stumbling back and reaching towards her face as Aqua drew the tendril back. Aqua let her arms go limp for a moment, since blocking Rana's punch for even a moment had pushed her muscles to their limit, and they were burning for even a moment of rest. However, a moment was all she had to rest her arms, as Rana had recovered and was now driving her fist forward towards Aqua. Instead of leaping away, Aqua ducked down, letting the punch go above her as she dashed forward, spear pointed towards Rana's exposed chest. Suddenly, Rana's body began to glow intensely.</p><p><em>Crap! </em>Aqua thought, remembering how she and Viola had been defeated during their last encounter with Rana. She leaped back and brought up a barrier of water as Rana exploded, blowing Aqua through the air. Though she had managed to avoid the brunt of the blast, her aura still felt somewhat drained, both from the explosion and the punch beforehand.</p><p>"Huh. Looks like you've gotten better," Rana said, walking out of the cloud of smoke and dust that the explosion had created. "Actually forced me to use my semblance on your own, and sooner than last time. But you ain't getting any further."</p><p><em>I can't just keep running away from her attacks... but she can catch anything I throw at her, and if I get close to her, she'll just explode again,</em> Aqua thought, grabbing another water crystal to replace the water that had been blown away in the explosion and forming it into a tendril. <em>Wait, if she just catches it...</em></p><p>"Come on! You just gonna stand there all day?!" Rana shouted, charging toward Aqua with her fist drawn back. Aqua quickly grabbed a crystal and slung it towards Rana, but her other hand came up with surprising speed, snatching the crystal out of the air. "You just don't learn, do you? Did you - "</p><p>
  <strong>BOOMF!</strong>
</p><p>"What the fuck is this?" Rana shouted, her hand suddenly engulfed by a large mass of rock. The added weight put her off balance and she stumbled. Aqua charged forward to intercept her, prompting Rana to swing the giant mass of metal and rock at her like an oversized club, but Aqua leaped over the clumsy attack, drawing back her spear as she prepared to stab down towards Rana. Rana raised her other hand, blocking the strike before batting Aqua out of the air. However, Rana was still off balance, and the hit did little to deter Aqua as she landed and circled around Rana, heading behind her.</p><p>"Get this shit OFF ME!" Rana shouted, swinging her rock-laden gauntlet overhead. Aqua dashed in as the gauntlet slammed down where she was just standing, shattering the rock and freeing it. Though Aqua was in range to strike with her spear, she instead dropped a pulsating red crystal at Rana's feet before leaping backwards, just as Rana's body began to glow once more.</p><p>
  <strong>BOOM!</strong>
</p><p>Another explosion, louder than the previous, rang out through the base. This time, Aqua was far enough away that the blast did little more than make her stumble slightly. However, Rana didn't get off as easy; instead of walking out of the explosion without a scratch like before, she tumbled out of the smoke and dust sputtering and coughing, with scorch marks running up and down her armor. "What the fuck did you just do?!" she shouted.</p><p>"Fire Dust is pretty volatile, you know. A good enough hit and it explodes violently... though you probably know that, judging by how you attacked the trucks back then," Aqua said, grabbing another crystal from her bag. "The explosion from your semblance is pretty strong, so I thought if I just left a fire Dust crystal next to you as you did it... I think you can figure out the rest."</p><p>"You... fuck you, you little shit!" Rana shouted, charging towards Aqua. Aqua slung the crystal at Rana, but instead of grabbing it, she batted it away with the back of her hand, letting it smash into a nearby shack and shred it apart with a blast of wind. Aqua moved to leap out of the way of her next strike, like she did so many times before; however, as she did so, Rana suddenly moved to follow her, reaching out to her with her giant fingers instead of smashing her fist down where Aqua was a moment ago. "Got you!"</p><p>"Gah!" Aqua gasped as the fingers of Rana's gauntlet grabbed her, roughly wrapping around her waist and pulling her close to Rana. She felt her aura strain as Rana tightened her grip around her body, threatening to crush her between her fingers. She reached down to try and pry the fingers apart and free herself, but they didn't budge even an inch.</p><p>"Finally got you, you fucking bitch," Rana said. Aqua cried out in pain as Rana's grip tightened further; her aura was draining fast, and she knew it wouldn't be long before it broke and Rana proceeded to crush her body in her fist. "I'm gonna squish you into pulp!"</p><p><em>Gotta get out of here,</em> Aqua thought, reaching into her bag and grabbing a yellow crystal. With a shout, she smashed the crystal into Rana's gauntlet, and suddenly she felt sharp bolts of pain run through her body as the crystal exploded into electricity, shocking both Rana and herself. Rana let go of Aqua's body and the two girls fell to the ground, their muscles lit with pain and spasming uncontrollably as electricity ran through the two. Aqua was the first to push herself onto her feet, and she thrust her spear down towards Rana's head, hoping to take her out before she recovered. However, Rana brought up her gauntlet, deflecting the blow before swatting Aqua away.</p><p>"Fuck... that seriously hurts..." Rana muttered, pushing herself to her feet. However, before she could fully stand up, Aqua grabbed a black crystal from her bag, slinging it towards Rana. She blocked the crystal with the back of her gauntlet, causing it to explode into a black mist. Then, her gauntlets suddenly dropped to the ground, becoming too heavy to lift as Rana was forced down onto her knees. "What the fuck... gravity Dust?!"</p><p><em>Gotta finish this fast</em>, Aqua thought, grabbing two water crystals and an ice crystal from her bag. She grabbed all three crystals with her water tendril, forming a large globe of water at the end of it, nearly as large as herself, with the ice crystal encased inside. While the lingering effect of the gravity Dust held Rana in place, Aqua swung the ball of water around herself, building momentum as the ball traveled faster and faster. Then, she reached out through the water with her aura, activating the ice Dust submerged within before slinging the rapidly-freezing ball of water towards Rana. The now-frozen sphere hurtled towards Rana, and while she tried to bring up her gauntlets to block the attack, the gravity Dust kept them pinned to the ground. Unable to defend, Rana took the full force of the huge, high-velocity ball of ice as it smashed into her face, carrying her into - and through - a nearby building before smashing to pieces.</p><p>"Did... that..." Aqua said, panting as she let her arms droop for a moment before quickly raising them again, not letting herself rest until she knew the battle was over. She made her way over to the building and found Rana lying on the ground, surrounded by jagged fragments of the ice ball that had carried her there.</p><p>"You... fucking... shit..." Rana muttered, raising her gauntlet towards Aqua as she tried to push herself up. However, before she could get on her feet, her eyes rolled back and she collapsed to the ground, where she lay still.</p><p>"Finally..." Aqua said, letting out a sigh of relief as she leaned against the side of the building, breathing hard. Her aura felt drained, her muscles felt as if they were on fire, and jolts of pain occasionally jolted through her body, likely due to the shock she had delivered to herself earlier. She poked Rana's head with the butt of her spear, making sure she had passed out. Out of the corner of her eye, Aqua noticed another figure approaching; she raised her spear, only to see Mud stepping towards her, rifle slung back over her shoulder.</p><p>"Took care of the guys that way. Lotta people just to ambush us two," Mud said. She noticed Rana on the ground and poked her head with her boot. "Huh, looks like you managed to beat the girl with the big fists. Good job, kid."</p><p>"Yeah, well... it wasn't easy. Wasn't sure if I could take her down... she'd probably lay me out if she got one good hit," Aqua said, stumbling as she lost her footing for a moment. She rubbed her arms, trying to alleviate the dull ache in them. "My muscles kinda hurt, and I don't think I have much aura left."</p><p>"I guess we'll take a moment for you to rest, then. No use going anywhere if you're too tired to do anything," Mud said, turning towards the edge of the camp. "But not here; we don't wanna be here when these guys get up. Let's head back to the other side of the lake."</p><p>"Got it," Aqua said, following Mud out of the bandit base and back into the forest.</p><hr/><p>Aqua sat down on a fallen log and opened her bag, using the remaining light of the setting sun to discern the contents. She had used up quite a lot of the crystals that Mud had given her in her fights against the bandits, and while there were still a few remaining, she wasn't sure if it was enough to last her through another fight. She looked over at Mud, who was leaning against a tree, waiting for Aqua to rest up.</p><p>"Uh... do you have any more Dust crystals?" Aqua asked. "I'm kinda running low."</p><p>"You know, I've been thinking," Mud said, looking out towards the lake. "You shouldn't come down to Palebrook with me. I don't think it'd be safe for you. Hell, maybe it was a mistake to bring you up here in the first place."</p><p>"What?" Aqua asked. "What do you mean?"</p><p>"That was only a small portion of the bandits' strength, diverted off to ambush us. And I held off the majority of them," Mud explained. "And yet, you're pushed to the point where your aura's low and you were having trouble standing. Imagine if that had been the entire bandit force. Do you think you would've survived?"</p><p>"I..." Aqua began to say before she paused. "Look, I know I wasn't in too good shape after fighting Rana, but I took out the other bandits just fine!"</p><p>"Maybe, but from what I've seen, you weren't 'just fine' after your other fights," Mud said. "Remember when you fucked up against that alpha Beowolf and Roland had to jump in? Or when you and Viola got blown up by that fist girl and I had to save you? Or when you got bashed into a tree by the bandit chief and I had to save you again?"</p><p>"So what?" Aqua asked. "I can still fight!"</p><p>"I know you can fight!" Mud said. "But I don't know if you can survive, and from what I've seen, you haven't given me a lot of confidence in that, considering someone - usually me - has to come in and save your ass every time!"</p><p>"I..." Aqua muttered, thinking over what Mud just said. "True, you've had to save me. Twice. But I've improved! I've gotten better at fighting! Remember how I couldn't even beat Rana while fighting with Viola, and now I took her out alone?"</p><p>"Yeah, barely," Mud said. "And you think taking on those bandits is gonna be as easy as just taking on that fist girl again? Besides her, everyone they left up here were probably chumps. If I were the bandit chief and I knew we were coming up here, I'd leave the weakest guys up here to hold us up while the rest of the guys burned the town to the ground."</p><p>"So what is it? You don't want me to come down with you and intercept the bandits?" Aqua asked. "What else should I do? Just sit up here and wait for you to take care of everything?"</p><p>"Yeah, that's kinda the plan right now," Mud said. "You just head on up the road to Agrina, and I'll meet you there once I'm done dealing with the bandits. No point in - "</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>BZZT!</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>A sharp crackle of radio static interrupted their conversation. Mud reached into her pocket and pulled out her radio, which suddenly came alive with grainy, panicked shouts, each interrupting each other and fighting for their ears as they cut in and out.</p><p>"What was that explosion? Can somebody - "</p><p>" - south section is on fire, what the hell just - "</p><p>"Oh god, they're attacking from the forest - "</p><p>" - Grimm swarming the walls, there's hundreds of - "</p><p>" - town's on fire, can anyone hear - "</p><p>" - south-east wall is under attack, we've got several casualties - "</p><p>" - what in god's name is going - "</p><p>The panicked shouting continued as the two girls listened to the broadcasts coming from the guard's radios in Palebrook. After a few more moments, Mud turned off the radio and sighed.</p><p>"Bandits attacking the walls, Grimm numbering in the hundreds, and the town's set ablaze, probably by whoever was collaborating with the bandits," Mud said. She turned to Aqua. "That's it, you're not following me to Palebrook. Go down to Agrina, find the inn, and wait for me there."</p><p>"No," Aqua said. "I'm coming with you, whether you like it or not."</p><p>"Fuck no. You're not doing anything like that," Mud said. "I'm not gonna let you go down there and get yourself mauled by a pack of Beowolves or shot up by a dozen bandits. You are not following me."</p><p>"And you think you can clean them all up by yourself, wrap up the situation in a nice little basket?" Aqua asked. "You're not my dad or my mom, and even if you were, I wouldn't listen to you anyways! You're going to need help down there, so I'm coming along!"</p><p>"Who do you think you are?!" Mud asked. "In case you haven't noticed, you're not a Huntress, you're not some big-shot mercenary, you're just a kid with a spear who ran away from home. And if I can help it, I'm not about to let another kid ruin her life because she confused stupidity for bravery and decided to run recklessly into a town that's burning to the ground!"</p><p>"I..." Aqua paused for a moment. Then, she raised her spear. "I'm not just some stupid kid. And I'll prove it to you."</p><p>"What the hell are you talking about?" Mud asked. "I'm not letting you - "</p><p>"One hit, right?" Aqua asked, pointing her spear towards Mud. "One hit to show you I can be a Huntress. One hit to prove I'm strong enough to survive. Those were the rules, right?"</p><p>"Oh..." Mud said, processing for a moment. She grinned, letting out a slight chuckle. "I see how it is. If that's how you want to do it, then fine. And if you lose?"</p><p>"Then I'll head back home."</p><p>"You're really fucking confident, huh?" Mud said, moving her hand over the pistol at her side. "Whenever you're ready."</p><p><em>Just one hit,</em> Aqua thought, stepping towards Mud as she grabbed for a water crystal. Last time she had faced Mud, those three words had come from an arrogant mind, one completely confident that she could land at least one hit on Mud. Now, Aqua knew it wasn't that simple; she knew there was a wide gap between the two in skill and experience, and she would have to overcome that gap in order to get even a single strike. She dashed forward, eyeing Mud's hand as she drew her pistol with surprising speed. Just as Aqua thought Mud would fire, she stepped to the side -</p><p>
  <strong>BANG!</strong>
</p><p>- and felt the water crystal shatter in her hand, blown to pieces before Aqua could even make use of it.</p><p>"You thought I'd just let you do that? I've seen how strong your semblance is," Mud said, shifting her aim towards Aqua's body. Aqua brought up her spear, deflecting a gunshot off the spear's shaft as she retreated back into the forest, hiding behind a tree. She pulled out another water crystal, the last one in her bag, and quickly turned it to water.</p><p>
  <strong>BANG!</strong>
</p><p>"Gah!" Aqua yelped as Mud dashed around the tree, shooting Aqua in the shoulder and making her stumble back as pain flared from where she was hit. As she regained her footing, she created a tendril from the water she just made, lashing out at Mud's face. Mud ducked to the side, avoiding the attack as she shot again, the bullet grazing Aqua's side. Aqua pulled back the tendril and used it to latch onto a high branch, pulling herself into the treetops.</p><p>"Good. Use the forest as cover against an opponent with a gun," Mud said as Aqua swung from tree to tree, looking for an opportunity to strike. Mud fired a few shots upwards, but the bullets were caught in the branches and trees, leaving Aqua unscathed. "But remember, there's always a way to flush opponents out of hiding..."</p><p><em>What's she talking about?</em> Aqua thought as she pulled herself from branch to branch. Then, she spotted a small red canister fly up into the trees, landing right on the branch next to Aqua. She stared for a moment before diving away, just before -</p><p>
  <strong>BOOM!</strong>
</p><p>- the canister exploded into a ball of flame and heat, scorching Aqua's back and blowing her out of the trees. Aqua managed to get her bearings as she flew through the air, rolling as she hit the ground and pushing herself back onto her feet. Almost immediately she threw up a barrier of water in Mud's direction, intercepting a bullet aimed towards her chest. The next moment another bullet struck her ankle, making its way underneath Aqua's barrier.</p><p>"Neat trick, but you left your legs open. Your shield ain't shit if you don't pay attention to what it's not covering," Mud said, firing another shot at Aqua's feet. Aqua dashed away behind another tree, grabbing another crystal from her bag; she didn't have time to tell what kind. She quickly reformed her water into another tendril and took the crystal with it. Then, she charged the crystal with her aura, stepped out from behind the tree, and -</p><p>
  <strong>BANG!</strong>
</p><p>- was blown back as Mud shot the crystal, shattering it and causing it to erupt into violent gusts of wind. While Aqua had managed to collect her water before it was scattered from the wind, Aqua herself was blown away, slamming back into a tree and causing her aura to deplete even further. She winced, looking up just in time to see Mud's pistol raised towards her face.</p><p>"I taught you that move. You didn't think I'd know that you'd use it?" Mud asked, pulling the trigger. Aqua pulled her head to the side as the bullet flew by her ear, burrowing into the tree behind her. She retreated, using the tree trunks as cover as Mud's shots grazed by her body.</p><p><em>How many shots has she fired?</em> Aqua thought, looking back at Mud. If Mud had reloaded sometime during their fight, Aqua hadn't noticed; she had been too busy trying to stay out of Mud's line of fire. Aqua began a mental note of how many shots Mud had fired at her as she dodged through the trees, wincing occasionally as a few of Mud's bullets hit their mark. <em>Six, seven, eight, nine...</em></p><p>A few more shots came before there was a sudden silence, followed by some mechanical clicks; Aqua assumed those were the sounds of Mud reloading her pistol. In response, she jumped out towards her, lashing out towards Mud with her water tendril while Mud was unable to fire at her. However, instead of feeling the end of her tendril smack Mud in the face, she saw a flash of steel in the moonlight as she felt the end of her tendril separate from the rest of it, splashing harmlessly against Mud's armor. The next thing Aqua knew, Mud had suddenly dashed close to her, swinging a knife towards her face. Aqua leaned back, barely dodging the slash, but Mud followed with several more, slashing repeatedly at Aqua's chest and face. Aqua backpedaled, barely keeping up with Mud's assault as her knife scraped and cut at Aqua's aura.</p><p>"Nice job attacking while I was reloading, but you should expect your opponent to have a backup," Mud said, continuing her assault. It was taking all of Aqua's focus and reflexes to dodge the attacks she could; she had no time or space to raise her spear, let alone strike back at Mud. Out of desperation Aqua grabbed the first crystal that she could find in her bag, charging it with her aura and throwing it against the ground. The crystal shattered, releasing a billowing cloud of steam thick enough that Aqua could barely see Mud, even when she was less than a meter in front of her.</p><p>"Hey, what the fuck?" Mud exclaimed, stopping her assault as Aqua backed off. "Can't see shit..."</p><p><em>Gotta get away,</em> Aqua thought as she stepped back. Surprisingly, her semblance seemed to extend through the cloud of steam. Though she had trouble actually controlling the steam, she could sense whatever was inside it, including Mud. From what she could tell, Mud wasn't moving; she was just standing in the steam, waiting for something. Instead of attacking, Aqua retreated out of the cloud into the forest. <em>Is there anything here that I can use... the lake!</em></p><p>Aqua turned, running towards where she thought the lake was. Sure enough, the forest parted to reveal the shore of Moonlight Lake. Aqua dived in without hesitation, gathering the water around her before shooting out into the air, landing back on shore. Now a huge mass of water followed behind Aqua, wider and higher than she was tall. She split the water into an array of countless water tendrils, and with all the tendrils trailing behind her, Aqua quickly made her way back to the cloud of steam. She sensed Mud still standing where she was before, having not even moved a step.</p><p><em>She's good... but even she can't avoid this many attacks,</em> Aqua thought, stepping closer to Aqua. She pulled her tendrils back, preparing to lash out and -</p><p>
  <strong>BANG!</strong>
</p><p>"Augh!" Aqua cried out as her vision went white, a sudden light burning her eyes as a loud bang nearly busted her eardrums. The countless water tendrils splashed to the ground as she lost focus. Aqua dropped to her knees and let go of her spear before reaching up and grabbing her pain-stricken ears.</p><p>"I was wondering when you'd come back," Mud said, barely audible over the ringing of Aqua's eardrums. Aqua pushed herself onto her feet, still blinded from the flash of light. Suddenly, she felt a fist bury itself into her gut, causing her to double over. As she slowly regained her vision, she saw Mud's knee come up towards her face, smashing her in the nose and knocking her back as her aura shimmered and began to fade. "You thought you had the advantage with all this steam, huh? I could still hear your approach, you know. Didn't know your exact location, but flashbangs cover enough ground, I guess."</p><p>
  <em>I need to -</em>
</p><p>Aqua's thoughts were interrupted when Mud's fist smashed into her chest, knocking the breath out of her as she stumbled back. Before she could recover, Mud grabbed her shirt, pulling her back before smacking her across the chin with a left hook. Then she drew her fist back, unleashing a powerful uppercut that smashed straight into Aqua's jaw, knocking her off her feet as she flew back. By the time her back hit the ground, Mud's pistol was already out, its barrel pointed straight at Aqua's face.</p><p>"You lose."</p><p>
  <em>I...</em>
</p><p>Aqua's jaw hurt. Her chest hurt, Her shoulders hurt. Her whole body hurt, and for all that pain she had nothing to show for it. Mud remained unscathed, the extent of the damage done to her being her armor getting slightly wet. Aqua sighed; she felt her spear lying far away out of reach, her bag of dust crystals nearly empty.</p><p><em>Wait... why can I feel my spear?</em> Aqua thought, suddenly realizing that her senses were somehow extending far beyond her limbs. She also realized that her back was soaking wet. <em>Is this... the lake water? I'm lying in a puddle of water I took from the lake...</em></p><p><em>I can still do this</em>.</p><p>"I haven't lost yet!" Aqua shouted as tendrils of water suddenly erupted from the puddle around her. One tendril reached up, grabbing and pulling Mud's pistol from her hand, while two others wrapped around Mud's legs, holding her in place.</p><p>"What the...!" Mud exclaimed. She reached for her knife, only for another tendril to snatch it away. Aqua used the puddle to pull her spear into her hands, pushing herself onto her feet as she thrust her spear towards Mud's face. Mud leaned back, the tip of the spear barely grazing her cheek, but with her legs locked in place, she fell off balance and began to fall backwards. Meanwhile, Aqua gathered what water she could around her spear, drawing it back for one final attack.</p><p>"Go down!" Aqua shouted, stabbing her water-clad spear straight into Mud's chest. Mud flew through the air, her back smashing into a tree before she slumped to the ground. That attack had taken all that Aqua had left; her remaining aura was practically nonexistent, and her muscles screamed for her to rest and relax. With a sigh of relief, she flopped backwards, landing back in the puddle that had just helped her win against Mud.</p><p>"Ah... shit, that hurt!" Mud shouted. Aqua looked over to see Mud standing up, drumming her fist against the armor on her chest. She began to walk over to her, picking up her knife and pistol on the way. "Probably gonna have bruises for a bit. Lucky you didn't break anything, that was one hell of an attack."</p><p>"So... I..."</p><p>"Eh... yeah," Mud said, standing over Aqua. She reached down towards her. "You got a hit on me, so you win. Good job, kid."</p><p>"Yeah... haha," Aqua said, weakly pumping up her fists before taking Mud's hand as she pulled her up. "Though you only used your pistol... were you going easy on me?"</p><p>"What, you think you don't deserve that win?" Mud asked. "I might have held back a bit here and there, but you legit caught me off guard at the end. Don't sell yourself short."</p><p>"I... alright," Aqua said. She noticed a thin line of blood running down Mud's cheek, dripping down from where her spear had grazed Mud's face. "Oh, uh, did I accidentally cut you?"</p><p>"Oh, this?" Mud asked, reaching up towards her cheek and wiping the blood away. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a bandage before slapping it over the cut. "It's fine. Nothing that won't heal over in a bit."</p><p>"But... I didn't even hit you before that," Aqua said. "What about your aura? Did you use it all fighting the bandits earlier?"</p><p>"Yeah, well..." Mud began to say, pausing for a moment. "Can't use what ain't there."</p><p>"Wait... you don't have your aura unlocked?" Aqua asked. "But why? Aren't you a mercenary? Like, you fight all the time? My mom showed me how to unlock someone's aura, let me - "</p><p>"Don't bother. Can't unlock what doesn't exist," Mud said. "Now are we gonna wait around or do you wanna go save Palebrook? Your little test already cost us a few minutes."</p><p>"I, uh..." Aqua began to say. "Yeah."</p><p>"Alright, then let's go," Mud said, hurrying into the forest. "Come on, kid, or we won't make it in time."</p><p>The two ran off through the forest, heading down the rugged path back to Palebrook.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>And that's chapter 9! Aqua and Mud head up to the bandit camp, fight off an ambush, and have a little spat of their own so that Aqua can prove herself... and looks like Mud's got a little something interesting about her. Things are building up towards a climax, so stay turned for that in the near future (aka 6 days)!</p><p>Also, I was reading up on the RWBY wiki, and apparently, the RWBY: Before the Dawn novel, which released a few weeks ago, reveals Neptune's semblance, and from what I read on the wiki it's almost exactly like the one I came up with for Aqua (tactile hydrokinesis). I guess hydrokinesis isn't exactly an original concept, but still, that's a neat little coincidence there.</p><p>Anyways, I hope you enjoyed the chapter. How are you liking the story so far? Do you have any feedback, criticisms, questions, or just something you want to say about the story? If so, please don't hesitate to leave a comment down below, no matter how short or how long. I love comments, and even though I appreciate any hits or kudos you leave, I really want to know what my audience is thinking about my story. Anyways, have a nice day!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Burning of the Brook</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"<em>Where are you going?"</em></p><p>"<em>Huh?" Aqua asked, halfway out the door with her spear. She looked back at Resina. "I'm just wandering around a bit. I'll be back soon"</em></p><p>"<em>Would you mind if I come?" Resina asked.</em></p><p>"<em>Go ahead," Aqua said, stepping outside as Resina followed. The two walked through the dirt street, towards the edge of the village. "Actually, shouldn't you be resting?"</em></p><p>"<em>Oh, I've been resting for nearly a week now. I'll be fine," Resina said. "So, where are we headed?"</em></p><p>"<em>To the edge of the village," Aqua said. "When I'm bored, I like to help the guards. The village is small enough that it doesn't attract too many grimm, but sometimes a Beowolf or two will settle into the forests along the border, so I help clear them out."</em></p><p>"<em>Oh, that sounds fun," Resina said. "Would it be alright if I joined you?"</em></p><p>"<em>Are you sure?" Aqua asked. "I don't think my mother would - "</em></p><p>"<em>Well, she doesn't have to find out, right?" Resina said, interrupting Aqua. "Besides, I've regained enough of my strength to hold my own, I think."</em></p><p>"<em>Don't you need a weapon?" Aqua asked.</em></p><p>"<em>I lost my weapon when I escaped from that pirate ship," Resina said. "My semblance should be enough to handle a few Beowolves, though."</em></p><p>"<em>If you're sure," Aqua said as the two made their way past the edge of Clearwater and into the surrounding forest. Before long, Resina put a hand on Aqua's shoulder.</em></p><p>"<em>There's one over there," Resina said, pointing further into the forest. Aqua squinted, and sure enough, there was a Beowolf in the distance that had yet to notice them. "Do you want to take this one, or should I?"</em></p><p>"<em>I'll take care of it," Aqua said, running towards the Beowolf. It turned towards her and growled, stepping back warily. As Aqua got in range, she struck towards it with her spear, only for it to leap back out of her range.</em></p><p>"<em>Be careful!" Resina called out as Aqua stepped to the side, dodging a lunging bite from the Beowolf. Too close to hit the Beowolf with a full swing of her spear, she smashed the butt of her spear into the side of the Beowolf's head, causing it to recoil back.</em></p><p>"<em>There!" Aqua shouted, stabbing towards the Beowolf's side as it stumbled back. Before it could regain its footing, Aqua's spear pierced into it, causing it to cry out before going limp. Aqua relaxed, letting her arms drop as the Beowolf's body began to disintegrate. "Heh, that was - "</em></p><p>"<em>Aqua, look out!"</em></p><p>
  <em>Aqua turned to see another Beowolf sailing through the air, lunging directly at her. Before she could react, she felt the temperature suddenly drop as a frigid blast of air slammed into the Beowolf, sending it flying into a nearby tree and freezing half of its body in place. Before it could get up, a torrent of flames consumed it, and Aqua looked back to see Resina with her hands raised towards the Beowolf, a stream of fire erupting from her palms towards the Grimm. A second later, the flames disappeared, and the Beowolf was no more.</em>
</p><p>"<em>You should be more careful," Resina said, panting slightly. "What if I wasn't there to watch your back?"</em></p><p>"<em>Eh... sorry about that," Aqua said. "And thanks for saving me. But what was that ice stuff? I thought your semblance was creating fire?"</em></p><p>"<em>Well, about that..." Resina said, pausing for a moment. She looked away for a bit, then back towards Aqua. "My semblance is actually, uh... heat manipulation? Yeah, that's why I can make both ice and fire."</em></p><p>"<em>I guess that makes sense," Aqua said. "Do you wanna keep going? I'll try to be more careful this time."</em></p><p>"<em>Sure, I've still got more left in me."</em></p><p>
  <em>With that, Aqua and Resina continued through the forest, taking down the few Beowolves they encountered. Then after they had grown tired, they returned back home.</em>
</p><hr/><p>
  <strong>Chapter 10: Burning of the Brook</strong>
</p><p>Aqua followed Mud as the two made their way down the mountain, running through forests and jumping down cliffs. Though Palebrook itself wasn't visible through the dense forest, Aqua could see smoke billowing into the sky for a few minutes before the sun finally set, plunging them in darkness.</p><p>"Come on, the road shouldn't be much further," Mud said, quickening her pace. Aqua tried to keep behind her, though she had trouble keeping up, occasionally stumbling over a branch or a rock. She didn't know how Mud was able to navigate the forest so easily in the dark; she chalked it up to experience. Soon, the forest broke away, putting the two on the barren dirt road leading up to Palebrook's mines.</p><p>"Will we even make it in time?" Aqua asked, looking down the road towards Palebrook. "We had a ride on the way up here, but now..."</p><p>"Give me a moment," Mud said, looking around. She pointed up the road, and Aqua saw what looked like an old pickup truck in the distance, just before the road turned towards the mines. "We're taking that."</p><p>"What?" Aqua asked, following Mud as she made her way over to the truck. "But you don't have the keys, how are you - "</p><p>Aqua was interrupted by Mud smashing the butt of her pistol against the side window, shattering the glass. She reached in and unlocked the door before climbing into the driver's seat, gesturing for Aqua to follow. As Aqua climbed into the passenger's seat, Mud pulled a wire from her pocket and stuck it into the ignition, fiddling it around.</p><p>"Let's see... there we go," Mud muttered as the truck roared to life. As Aqua closed the door, Mud shifted the truck into drive and began making her way down the road towards Palebrook at speeds much faster than Aqua thought was safe. She reached a hand into her pocket, pulling out the radio from before. "This is Mud, trying to reach anyone in Palebrook. Over."</p><p>"This is guardsman Horace," a voice responded, partially obscured by radio static. "We're in a pretty bad spot, where are you? Over."</p><p>"We're barreling down the road in an old truck. Maybe about five minutes to town," Mud explained. "Give me the situation, over."</p><p>"We're being hit hard from both sides. A giant horde of Grimm from the north and northwest, and bandits from the southeast," Horace explained. "We're trying to coordinate evacuations of civilians while the guard holds them off, but someone set off explosives around town, and a third of Palebrook is on fire. Evacuation efforts are in disarray, and honestly, we're not sure how long we can last on either side. Need some backup soon, over."</p><p>"We'll be there ASAP, over," Mud said, slipping the radio back into her pocket as she turned to Aqua, one eye still on the road ahead. "Alright kid, things look pretty shitty out there. You up for this?"</p><p>"Of course," Aqua said. "I wouldn't have come with you if I wasn't."</p><p>"Good to hear. Make sure that confidence ain't misplaced. Anyways, looks like the town's being attacked from two sides: Grimm in the front and bandits in the back. They gotta hold out until everyone evacuates, but they're spread thin," Mud said. "That's where we come in."</p><p>"What do you mean?"</p><p>"When we got to town, we split up. I'll head down south to help take care of the bandits, while you make your way up top to help deal with the Grimm," Mud explained. "You might be good in a fight, but I still don't think you should go anywhere near that chief guy. He's a real problem. Plus, you've got more experience dealing with Grimm than dealing with bandits."</p><p>"Is that it?" Aqua asked. "I mean, I'm just one person. If they're already being overwhelmed, I'm not sure if I can - "</p><p>"What's up with you? Where'd that confidence go?" Mud interrupted. "You might be just 'one person', but considering you've managed to land a good hit on me, you're probably better than most of the Palebrook guard put together. Plus, the guards will probably appreciate any extra hand they can get."</p><p>"Then what do we do after the town's evacuated?" Aqua asked. "Shouldn't we try to drive them back from the walls?"</p><p>"That's the best case scenario, but honestly? Might not be the best plan," Mud said. "Once the civilians are evacuated, the guards can fall back into town and regroup. From there, they either try to defend the town and hopefully clean up the attack or just evacuate, depending on the situation."</p><p>"So we'd just leave the town to burn?"</p><p>"Probably? I mean, the civilians are out, so it's not too bad. Long as they're alive, they can just rebuild or relocate," Mud said. "When it comes down to it, a town's just a bunch of bricks and wood. If we can't defend it, might as well save what's important before we run. Let the reinforcements from Vale come in tomorrow and clean up what's left."</p><p>"Hopefully it won't come down to that..." Aqua said. "But what about the explosions? Those were probably done by whoever's working with the bandits, right?"</p><p>"Yeah, probably," Mud said. "If I had to guess, those were meant to drum up a bit of fear. Whoever they are, they're doing whatever they can to make sure Palebrook falls to the Grimm. Also means it'll be harder to hold out before everyone evacuates."</p><p>"Maybe I should help put out the fires?" Aqua asked. "After all, my semblance - "</p><p>"Don't bother. If you're gonna lend a hand, go fight the Grimm," Mud interrupted. "Anyone with a bucket can put out a fire, but they need every hand they can get to defend the town."</p><p>"I... okay."</p><p>"And one more thing," Mud said. "Just because you've proven that you're strong enough to take care of yourself doesn't mean that you're invincible. Like I said, if you find the odds stacked too much against you, then bail. I'd rather hear that you ran like a coward and lived than that you fought like a hero and died."</p><p>"Alright, I got it. Don't die."</p><p>"I'm serious. You're strong and, chances are, you're gonna be a great Huntress. I don't wanna see you miss that chance by dying here," Mud said. She reached into her pocket and grabbed a handful of Dust crystals. "Anyway, enough of the morbid talk. Here's some more crystals, since you said you were running low. Don't waste them, cause I don't have any more raw crystals."</p><p>"Oh, uh, thanks," Aqua said, taking the crystals and putting them in her near-empty bag. "But what about you? You don't have aura, are you sure you can - "</p><p>"What, you think I lost my aura just yesterday? I've survived without aura my whole life, I think I can survive one more night," Mud said. "You just worry about yourself. Keep on your toes, watch your back, don't panic, and know your limits. Remember all that and - oh shit, back up!"</p><p>"Huh?" Aqua said, leaning back in her chair. Mud pulled out her pistol and fired out Aqua's window, causing glass fragments to spray out onto the road. Aqua poked her head out to see a Beowolf fall to the ground, quickly disintegrating as it went out of sight. Three more Beowolves leaped out from the forest, chasing after the truck. "There's more coming on this side!"</p><p>"Can you deal with them?" Mud asked. "Can't get a good shot from this angle, and I gotta focus on driving."</p><p>"I'll try," Aqua said, leaning out the now-shattered window. She grabbed a water crystal from her bag and used it to form a tendril of water just in time to smack a Beowolf in the jaw as it lunged towards her. The Beowolf hit the ground hard, rolling away into the forest and out of sight. Suddenly, Aqua felt the truck swerve suddenly, almost pitching her out of the window. "What was that?"</p><p>"Sorry, but I got more on my side!" Mud shouted. Sure enough, Aqua heard several howls from in front of the truck, as well as a flurry of gunshots from Mud and the shattering of the truck's windows as the truck began moving more erratically. Aqua concentrated on the two Beowolves remaining on her side of the truck; one was still running alongside the road, out of her reach, while the other was backing off towards the rear end of the truck. Suddenly, it leaped onto the bed of the truck, causing it to buckle.</p><p>"I'll take care of it!" Aqua shouted, getting no response other than more rapid gunfire. She grabbed her spear and climbed onto the roof of the truck, looking down at the Beowolf on the truck bed. It growled and lunged at her, but Aqua thrust her spear to intercept it, impaling it in the chest before throwing the disintegrating body off the side of the truck.</p><p><em>One more,</em> Aqua thought, looking over towards the Beowolf that had been running alongside the truck. It lunged up at her, and Aqua moved to intercept it like she had with the previous Beowolf. However, the truck suddenly swerved again, causing Aqua to lose her balance and fall from the roof onto the truck bed. The Beowulf landed on the roof of the truck before jumping on top of Aqua, jaws open and biting down towards her neck.</p><p>"Eat this!" Aqua shouted, blocking the bite with the shaft of her spear. The Beowolf's jaws clamped over the metal as it tried and failed to bite through and get to Aqua. The Beowolf raised one of its front legs, slashing its claws down towards Aqua, but she deflected the attack with her water tendril. Then, she sharpened the tendril to a point, maneuvering it underneath the Beowolf's stomach before stabbing upwards, impaling it and pushing it off Aqua.</p><p>"That'll do it," Aqua muttered, pushing the now-disintegrating body of the Beowolf out of the truck bed and onto the road. By then, the gunfire had stopped, and the truck was no longer swerving as much, so Aqua figured that Mud had taken care of the Beowolves on her side. As Aqua approached the cabin of the truck, the forest parted to reveal the walls of Palebrook, with billowing clouds of smoke and the orange lights of fires poking out from beyond said walls. Grimm were constantly emerging from the forest and making their way towards the entrance into town, only to be fended off by gunfire from the two watchtowers beside it.</p><p>"What's the situation?!" Mud shouted, stopping at the entrance next to one of the watchtowers.</p><p>"We're holding fine here, but the northwest and southeast parts are being hit hard!" the guard on the watchtower shouted back. "If you can lend a hand, do it there!"</p><p>"Will do!" Mud shouted, stepping on the gas and driving into town. Everything seemed chaotic; civilians were running around holding their belongings, police were trying and failing to corral them together and evacuate them, and though Aqua couldn't see any fires in the immediate vicinity, the telltale orange glow and billowing clouds of smoke rose beyond the buildings around her. By where the smoke was coming from, most of the fires were around the southern part of town; no smoke seemed to come from the northern areas. As Aqua looked on, she heard the crackle of a radio from the truck's cabin.</p><p>"This is Mud and Aqua! We've just arrived and are coming to reinforce, over!"</p><p>"Hurry it up!" a guard responded. "We're stretched thin on both sides, and as far as I know, you two are the only reinforcements we got! Over!"</p><p>"On our way, over!" Mud shouted before the radio crackled off. She stopped in the middle of the intersection and leaned out the window, turning towards Aqua. "Alright, this is where you get off! Head up to the northwest area and help fight off the Grimm while I go down and deal with the bandits!"</p><p>"Got it!" Aqua shouted back, jumping off the back of the truck. She stood there for a moment, watching Mud drive away before turning and heading towards the northwestern part of town. As she ran through the streets, she noticed a change in her surroundings. The number of civilians and police officers running around faded to nothing, and soon, she found herself making her way through barren streets by herself, with only the flames, shouts, and gunfire in the distance to remind her of Palebrook's current situation.</p><p><em>Looks like they've already evacuated this part of town,</em> Aqua thought. As she ran through the streets, she heard the sounds of gunfire and shouting growing louder, as well as the roars and howls of Beowolves, Ursas, and whatever other Grimm were attacking the town. Then, out of the corner of her eye, she saw a large figure with a larger blade on his back cross through an intersection, also heading towards the northwestern part of the wall. <em>Is that... Roland?</em></p><p>"Hey!" Aqua called out, grabbing Roland's attention. He stopped, turning towards her.</p><p>"Oh, Aqua!" Roland said, making his way over to her. "I didn't expect to see you here. Where's Mud?"</p><p>"Mud's helping defend the other side of town," Aqua said. "I'm up here to help deal with the Grimm. I'm guessing that's what you're here for?"</p><p>"Yeah, well, I was running around town, helping to evacuate civilians," Roland explained. "They were doing pretty well on the south side, so they asked that I come up here and help fight off the Grimm."</p><p>"I see," Aqua said. "We should probably get over there as soon as we can."</p><p>"Yeah, probably," Roland said. "Lead the way."</p><p>"Could you go first?" Aqua asked. "I've only been in town for a few days, and if I lead, we might end up in a dead end or something..."</p><p>"Well, if you insist," Roland said, stepping off down the street towards the northwest edge of town. As Aqua followed, she tightened her grip on her spear. She increased her pace, slowly catching up to the point where she was just behind Roland.</p><p>Then, she leaped forward, thrusting her spear towards Roland's exposed back.</p><p>
  <strong>CLANG!</strong>
</p><p>Roland turned and brought up his massive sword at a speed far greater than Aqua was anticipating. Aqua stabbed at Roland twice more, but each strike was blocked or deflected by the flat of Roland's blade. With her offensive having no effect, Aqua leaped back a safe distance away, taking a water crystal and forming it into a tendril.</p><p>"What are you doing?!" Roland asked. "Have you gone insane? Why are you - "</p><p>"I figured it out," Aqua interrupted. "You're the one who's working with the bandits, aren't you? I know it's you."</p><p>"What are you talking about?" Roland asked. "They already caught the one who's collaborating with them! Do you really think - "</p><p>"Viola's innocent. You framed her," Aqua said. "You planted the 'evidence' in her locker. And the bandit's accusation was made up. Something you told the bandit chief to tell him to say after you captured him. I'm assuming that was set up too? The bandits seemed too well-prepared for that sting operation, considering they went and firebombed the trucks instead of raiding them."</p><p>"That's ridiculous," Roland said. "This is all just baseless - "</p><p>"Only four people knew that Mud and I were heading up to raid the bandit camp," Aqua said. "That's me, Mud, Melony, and you. And yet, the bandits knew we were coming."</p><p>"Then maybe it's Melony!" Roland said. "Or the mayor! Melony reports directly to him; maybe he found out you were heading up there and - "</p><p>"How strong do you think the mayor is?"</p><p>"Huh?"</p><p>"You heard me. You think a pudgy guy like that could rip open those heavy storehouse doors with his bare hands? You'd need to be really strong to pull those open... and you seem pretty strong yourself," Aqua said. " No, it's not the mayor. And it's not Melony either, since she's the reason Mud and I are helping with this bandit thing in the first place. She wouldn't have hired Mud if she didn't want to be found out. Speaking of that, I seem to remember a certain Huntsman being opposed to Mud's hiring back then..."</p><p>"I..."</p><p>"So that just leaves you," Aqua said. "You wanna deny it any more? Go ahead."</p><p>A momentary silence followed.</p><p>"Who else knows?"</p><p>"Huh?" Aqua asked.</p><p>"The mercenary," Roland said. "Does she know?"</p><p>"So you admit it," Aqua said. "And Mud? She's probably put it together. I wouldn't doubt it, considering she's a lot better at this investigation stuff than I am."</p><p>"Well, shit. Looks like I gotta kill her then," Roland said, raising his massive sword towards Aqua. He wielded it easily despite it being several inches thick and longer than Aqua was tall; Aqua wasn't sure if she would even be able to lift such a weapon. "But only after I get rid of you and those guards up on the walls. Gotta make sure everything goes nice and clean, after all."</p><p>"Sorry, but Mud wouldn't lose to you. And neither will I," Aqua said, raising her spear in turn. Despite her words, she found her hands shaking slightly as her heart began to beat faster. "After I defeat you and help protect the town, I'm gonna drag you to the mayor and have you confess everything you did."</p><p>"Ha! You can try," Roland said, stepping forward and swinging his sword towards Aqua's head. Aqua leaned back, letting the sword pass over her before standing straight again. However, before she could take advantage of the missed strike, Roland brought his sword back around with unexpected speed, and Aqua was forced to leap back, barely avoiding the end of the sword as it passed through where her stomach was a moment before. As Aqua's feet hit the ground, Roland was suddenly ready to strike once again, aiming an overhead swing directly where Aqua was standing.</p><p><em>He's surprisingly fast with a sword that large,</em> Aqua thought, rolling to the side as Roland's sword smashed into the ground. What she hadn't anticipated was the power behind the strike; even though Roland had missed, the hit was strong enough to smash through the asphalt, cratering the street and blowing Aqua off her feet with the shockwave of the impact. As she landed on her back, Roland raised his blade overhead, striking down at Aqua. Unable to move quickly enough, Aqua brought up her spear to block the attack.</p><p>"Gah!" Aqua cried out as Roland's blade met the shaft of her spear and her muscles immediately began to buckle against its weight. She was instantly reminded of when she had to block Rana's fist before; the power behind Roland's sword was equal, if not greater, than what she had felt from Rana. Before her arms gave way, Aqua pushed the sword to the side, letting it smash into the ground beside her as she rolled away and onto her feet.</p><p><em>A sword that large... he'll have trouble up close,</em> Aqua thought, immediately rushing towards Roland. Roland brought his sword up swinging towards Aqua's midsection, but she had anticipated the attack, leaping over the blade before thrusting her spear down towards him. Just before the tip of her spear smashed against his armor, Roland took a hand off his weapon and reached up, grabbing the shaft of the spear and stopping Aqua in her tracks.</p><p>"Not fast enough," Roland said. Aqua tried to pull her spear away, but Roland's grip was too strong. With a shout, he swung Aqua around, tossing her and her spear towards one of the buildings on the side of the road. Aqua smashed into the building, causing her to cry out as pain shot up her back and her aura shimmered. "You really thought a kid like you could go up against a Huntsman?"</p><p>"If you're a Huntsman, then why are you doing this?" Aqua asked, grunting as she pushed herself onto her feet. "Aren't Huntsmen and Huntresses supposed to protect people? Not destroy their towns?"</p><p>"Yeah, I tried that. Started off playing nice, protecting the people and helping out like a good little Huntsman. You know what that got me? A dead team and nothing to show for it," Roland said as his sword split apart, exposing the cannon that had been hidden inside the blade. He pointed the end of the cannon towards Aqua. "So I figured if the world won't give me anything for playing nice, I might as well take what I can get. And when I came across that bandit chief... well, he gave me an opportunity I couldn't ignore."</p><p>"What are you - augh!" Aqua shouted, diving to the side as Roland fired his sword-cannon at her. While she had avoided a direct impact, the shot exploded against the wall behind her, blowing her away and onto the street. Fortunately, she had been far enough away that the blast only disoriented her for a moment before she got on her feet. "What do you mean? Why are you doing this?"</p><p>"Why do you think? There's a lot of money in a mining town like this, you know. Ever wonder how much Lien goes into Palebrook's treasury every day?" Roland said, pulling a smoking cartridge out from his blade-cannon and slamming a fresh one back in. "And the best part is, that bandit chief doesn't want any of it. I don't know why; he's always going on about some 'reclaiming the sacred ground' and 'power left by the ancestors' or something. Point is, I get first dibs on whatever's left, so once we clear you out along with everyone else, this town is mine to loot as much as I want."</p><p><em>So he's only got one shot before reloading, </em>Aqua thought. She looked over at the building Roland had just shot and saw a large, flaming hole carved into the side, blown away by the explosion. <em>Then again, one shot might be all that he needs...</em></p><p>"So that's it? You're working to destroy the town just because you want money?" Aqua asked. She grabbed a fire crystal with her tendril and threw it towards Roland, only to see him step to the side as the crystal flew past him, exploding harmlessly against the ground a few meters behind him. "What about the people who live here? Are you going to trample all over their lives just so you can get a bit richer?"</p><p>"I don't think you get it, kid. I'm done being some 'protector of the people'. I'm gonna take what I want however I can, and nobody on Remnant, including you, is going to stop me!" Roland said, pointing her cannon at Aqua once again.</p><p><em>Here it comes,</em> Aqua thought. Just before Roland fired, Aqua leaped into the air towards him, watching the cannon shot fly beneath her and explode further down along the road. As Aqua closed the distance, Roland began to shift his weapon back to its sword form. In response, Aqua shot out her tendril and wrapped it around one section of the blade-cannon, pulling at it and temporarily halting the transformation while sending Roland stumbling forward. While he was still off balance, Aqua thrust her spear towards his chest, launching him back and through the air as his aura shimmered.</p><p>"If you're not protecting the town, that means you aren't a Huntsman anymore. You're just a morally bankrupt thief trying to steal from this town," Aqua said as Roland landed on his feet, clutching his chest where Aqua had struck him as his weapon completed its shift back to its sword form. "And while I might not be a Huntress just yet, I think I can deal with a common thief like you!"</p><p>"Ha! That's kinda naive of you... you really think you can beat me? I've got over a decade of experience on you, kid," Roland said with a smirk, raising his sword. "Though you're doing better than I expected... looks like I'll have to turn things up a little."</p><p>"Bring it on!" Aqua shouted, stepping forward and lashing a tendril out towards Roland's face. Roland reached up, deflecting the tendril with the back of his hand before stepping forward, sword drawn back and about to swing. Aqua tried to step back out of range, but she felt her foot suddenly slip forward from underneath her, sending her stumbling back as Roland's giant sword swung towards her from the side.</p><p><em>Crap... what the heck was that?!</em> Aqua thought, bringing her spear up to guard against the attack. Sword struck spear once again, and though Aqua managed to avoid being struck directly by the blade, the force of the impact sent her flying through the air before she slammed back-first into a nearby building. Stunned from the impact, Aqua took a moment to gather her bearings. By the time she looked up, she saw Roland leaping towards her, sword drawn back for another powerful strike. She leaped upwards, using her tendril to pull herself to the roof of the building as Roland's sword sliced through the area where she just was. However, the moment she stepped onto the roof, it suddenly jolted, causing her to stumble and nearly fall back down.</p><p>"What the..." Aqua muttered. She looked down to see that Roland's attack had carved cleanly through the wall of the building, his giant blade smashing through the brick exterior and taking out everything on that side of the building. With the wall's supports destroyed, the building had begun to collapse, along with the roof that Aqua was currently on. Aqua ran to the edge of the roof and leaped over the edge towards a neighboring building.</p><p>"Get back here!" Roland shouted. Before Aqua could reach the next building, she felt something tug on her ankle, pulling her back and preventing her from clearing the gap between the buildings. Instead, she reached out, grabbing the edge of the roof before she fell back to the ground. She looked back and saw that Roland's weapon had already shifted to its cannon form, its barrel pointed towards her.</p><p><em>Gotta drop down,</em> Aqua thought, letting go of the roof and dropping down into the alleyway between the two buildings. Just after she did so, the space above her exploded, the blast sending Aqua hurtling down to the ground. She winced as she pushed herself up, looking towards the entrance of the alleyway to see Roland already moving towards her. <em>This alley's narrow, he's only gonna be able to swing vertically...</em></p><p>"Are you running? I thought you were gonna take me down!" Roland said, raising his sword overhead. Aqua dodged to the side as Roland's blade slashed down, smashing into the ground where she just was. Then, she rushed forward, stabbing towards Roland's face with her spear. Roland brought her hand up to deflect the attack, but Aqua's tendril shot out and wrapped around his hand, leaving him open and allowing Aqua's spear to thrust directly into his face. Roland stumbled back as his aura shimmered</p><p><em>Got him... just need to keep up the pressure while his attacks are restricted by the alleyway,</em> Aqua thought, stepping towards Roland in order to attack him once more. However, as she stabbed towards his chest, he suddenly burst forward, stepping past the spear and grabbing Aqua's arm.</p><p>"Got you!" Roland shouted, pulling Aqua off her feet and slamming her against the building at the side of the alleyway. Aqua cried out in pain as her aura dropped. She grabbed at Roland's arm with her free hand, but he was much too strong for her to even make him loosen his grip. Roland turned to slam her against the other wall, but Aqua grabbed a Dust crystal from her bag, not bothering to check what type it was before smashing it against Roland's arm. The crystal exploded into a burst of hot steam, causing both Roland and Aqua to cry out as they were burned by the steam. Roland let go of Aqua as they stumbled away from each other, obscured from each other by the sudden cloud of steam. "Ack... where'd you go?!"</p><p><em>This steam... I can use it like before,</em> Aqua thought, extending her senses through the cloud to find Roland a few meters away, looking around frantically. She shot her water tendril out towards him, catching him unaware as she smacked him in the face. Then, she followed it up by leaping towards him, smashing her spear into his chest as he stumbled back, trying to find his opponent in the steam.</p><p>"Come out so that I can see you, you coward!" Roland shouted, pulling his blade back as Aqua stepped away cautiously. He swung his sword around himself, smashing through the walls on each side of the alleyway and exposing the insides of the buildings surrounding them. As he stopped, Aqua moved forward, ready to strike Roland once more under the cover of the steam cloud, but paused when she heard the sounds of wood straining and concrete cracking from above.</p><p>"What the - "</p><p>Suddenly, an avalanche of brick, wood, and concrete fell upon Aqua as the buildings on both sides of the alleyway collapsed towards the two combatants, their supports broken through by Roland's mighty swing. Aqua brought up a barrier of water, but it did little to prevent her from being buried by rubble, and she found herself pinned underneath a mound of planks, bricks, and concrete slabs.</p><p>"Ah!" Aqua shouted, using both her body and her water to push herself out of the rubble. Though her aura had taken the brunt of the damage from the sudden collapse, it wasn't able to prevent it all; with the hits Roland had already gotten on her, her aura was nearing a dangerously low state, and she was having trouble even keeping it up. The bruises across her body where some of the rubble had struck were a testament to that. "Now where did he - "</p><p>The sound of a cannon cut Aqua off, and she barely had time to bring up a barrier of water before a cannon shot exploded directly against it, immediately vaporizing the water and blowing Aqua back, sending her tumbling onto the open street. As she pushed herself up, she saw Roland stepping out of the collapsed alleyway, his weapon changing back to its sword form. Though he was scuffed from the collapse, he wasn't looking too bad; certainly not as bad as Aqua was feeling.</p><p>"You're looking pretty tired. Why don't you just lay down and die already?" Roland asked, drawing back his sword. Aqua raised her spear, remaining wary and staying out of the range of Roland's blade. Then, Roland raised his hand towards Aqua and some unseen force suddenly pulled her towards him, sending her off balance and stumbling just into range of Roland's blade.</p><p>Caught off guard, Aqua had no time to bring her aura up before the tip of Roland's blade slashed across her chest, carving a bloody gash from her left shoulder all the way down to her stomach.</p><p>"Gah!" Aqua shouted in pain, collapsing to the ground as she dropped her spear. The only thing she could focus on was the pain as blood flowed profusely from the wound. Suddenly, Roland's hand grabbed Aqua's neck and he lifted her up, looking right into her eyes.</p><p>"Is that it? I'll admit, you put up a bit of a fight. Even got me to use my semblance... but it wasn't enough," Roland said, holding Aqua up by her neck and choking her as she bled out. She grabbed at Roland's arms and tried to free herself, but to no avail; he was much too strong for her. "You seem like a good kid. It's a shame you've got to die here."</p><p>"Screw... you..." Aqua muttered, still continuing her futile attempts to free herself from Roland's grasp. At this point, she was beginning to black out, probably from both oxygen deprivation and blood loss. Her arms fell from Roland's hand, slowly going limp as she felt blood spill down her body and drip to the ground.</p><p><em>Wait... blood...</em> Aqua thought, moving her hands up to the wound that ran across her chest. Though she had been smashed, battered, and slashed through, she still felt a slight bit of aura remaining in her, so she called upon the blood as if it was the water she usually manipulated. To her surprise, the blood leapt from her chest, wrapping itself around her fingers. <em>It's not much, but... I have to try.</em></p><p>Just before Roland choked her unconscious, Aqua gathered a modest amount of blood around her fingers. Then, she raised her hand towards Roland's head, commanding the blood to shoot out towards him. A small torrent of blood sprayed out, hitting him directly in the face.</p><p>"Augh! My eyes!" Roland shouted, dropping Aqua as he stumbled back and pawed at his face. Aqua fell to her knees before quickly picking up her spear and pushing herself onto her feet. Before Roland could recover, Aqua ran down the street, hoping to put distance between the two before he recovered.</p><p><em>I need to run... can't beat him here...</em> Aqua thought. Using some of her remaining aura, she took control of the blood spilling out of the wound running down her chest, pushing it back into her body in order to hopefully keep herself from dying of blood loss. Her left arm felt weak; she could barely lift it, let alone wield her spear with it. <em>Must have cut into some muscles...</em></p><p>"Get back here!" Aqua heard Roland shout as she turned into an alleyway. Though she picked up her pace, she knew that in her current state, it wouldn't be long before he caught up. The blood she had shot into his eyes would only give so much of a head start. As she ran through the buildings, trying to lose Roland, she eventually found herself at the end of the street, which opened up to -</p><p>"The river," Aqua muttered, looking over the river that cut through the town. She heard footsteps behind her and turned to see Roland emerging from an alleyway, immediately spotting her.</p><p>"There you are!" Roland shouted, readying his sword as he ran towards her. Aqua fled, making her way over to one of the bridges that went over the river. Taking a deep breath, she dove into the water, staining it red with her blood. Immediately she felt her senses expanding as her semblance spread out into the water surrounding her. As she surfaced, she looked up to see Roland standing on the bridge, his weapon shifting into a cannon. At this distance, she could see the blood she had splattered over his face.</p><p>"Say goodbye!" Roland shouted, aiming his cannon down towards Aqua. At this distance, it was near impossible for him to miss. And after all the attacks she had taken from him, as well as the blood she had lost, she had no doubt that one more shot would be enough to kill her. She was practically running on empty; her aura was down to its last reserves, and she doubted she could use her semblance for more than a few seconds longer.</p><p>With the river at her command, a few seconds was enough.</p><p>Two giant watery fists, each larger than Aqua herself, burst out of the river as Roland fired his sword-cannon. One fist moved to intercept the shot, blocking it and causing it to explode harmlessly in the air. The other reached up towards Roland, smashing through the bridge and taking him in its watery grasp. Before he could try and free himself from its grip, Aqua pulled him into the water, dragging him down to the depths of the river. Though it was too dark for Aqua to see Roland underwater, she could feel him thrashing about, swinging his sword wildly through the murky water. Aqua stayed outside of his reach at the surface, using her semblance to pin Roland down at the bottom of the river. Before long, Roland's struggles grew weak as he slowed down. He brought his hands up to his mouth, and Aqua felt several bubbles escape from his mouth before he went still, his body going limp in the water.</p><p>Aqua held Roland down at the bottom of the river for a few more moments, making sure that he was completely unconscious. Then, with the last of her aura, Aqua threw him back onto land before hauling herself onto the shore. Too weak to stand, she fell onto her back, dropping her spear by her side. Without any aura left to use her semblance, she felt blood begin to flow out of the giant gash down her chest once again.</p><p><em>Need to get up... get help... </em>Aqua thought, trying to push herself back onto her feet. However, as she sat up, her adrenaline seemed to run out, and she suddenly felt the pain from all the attacks she had taken; the bruises, the burns, and most importantly, the large gash that ran down the front of her body. She cried out in pain as she fell back to the ground, clutching her bleeding chest. <em>It hurts... Mom... Dad... Mud...</em></p><p>"Aqua?"</p><p>Aqua looked up to see Viola stepping down onto the shore, quickly making her way over to where Aqua was lying. "Viola...?"</p><p>"Aqua!" Viola shouted, hurrying to Aqua's side. Her eyes ran up and down Aqua's body, looking over the gash that Roland had made across her chest. "What happened? How did this - "</p><p>"It was Roland," Aqua said weakly, pointing down the shore where Roland's unconscious body was. "He was the traitor. I got him though... we can make him - "</p><p>"No, stop talking, you need to keep up your strength," Viola said. She placed her hands over Aqua's chest. "Brace yourself; this may hurt slightly."</p><p>"What are you - "</p><p>Suddenly, Aqua's entire body felt as if it were on fire. Aqua screamed; it was as if a bolt of lightning had come down and struck her, sending electricity coursing through her veins. The next moment, the pain left her body, leaving Aqua panting as she tried to figure out what just happened. "What did you..."</p><p>"That was an aura infusion. I transferred some of my aura to you," Viola said, breathing heavily. Sure enough, Aqua realized that she was no longer out of aura. Instead, she felt that a meager amount had returned to her body, energizing her. "I learned the technique during my travels as a mercenary. Unfortunately, it is somewhat inefficient, and we still need to stop the bleeding..."</p><p>"If I have aura, I think I can stop the bleeding myself," Aqua said. She focused on the wound, taking hold of her blood with her semblance and keeping it from spilling out of her body. "Thank you... I might've bled out if you hadn't arrived."</p><p>"There is no need to thank me, after all you have done," Viola said, still looking over the gash across Aqua's chest. "Luckily for you, it seems like the wound isn't deep enough to cause any major damage beyond excessive bleeding and damage to your pectoral muscles on your left side. As long as you can keep yourself from bleeding out, you should not be in any immediate danger, especially with the aura I just gave you. However, we should find medical assistance right away. From what I have heard, the guards are coordinating evacuations at the south exit of town, so we should head there."</p><p>"Yeah, probably," Aqua said as Viola reached her hand down towards her. She grabbed it, and Viola pulled Aqua onto her feet. Aqua grabbed her spear before looking over to where Roland was lying unconscious. "What should we do about him?"</p><p>"As much as I would like to take him into custody, we should focus on getting you help. Your semblance may have stopped the immediate danger of bleeding out, but we must get you to safety so that we can check on the full extent of the damage," Viola explained. "Besides, I do not think we are in the best shape to transport his body, unless you wish to carry a heavily armored Huntsman who could awaken and attack you at any moment across town."</p><p>"Good point," Aqua said. The two stepped off the shore and back onto the street, heading away from the river and towards the south exit of town. "So, uh... weren't you in jail?"</p><p>"I was, up until recently," Viola explained. "The guards were coordinating evacuations of prisoners, including myself. Before they took me from my cell, Mud showed up and forced the guards to give me my weapon and free me. She told me to head up north; she said you were there, and that you might appreciate a bit of assistance."</p><p>"Heh, looks like she was right," Aqua said, reaching up to the gash across her chest. "I guess even if I showed her I can stand alone, it doesn't help to have a little help..."</p><p>"What do you mean?" Viola asked. "Did something happen between you two?"</p><p>"It's... I'll tell you later," Aqua said. "It's a bit of a story, and right now, we should probably - "</p><p>Aqua was interrupted when the side of a nearby building exploded outwards, launching a large figure out onto the street and to the ground. As the dust cleared, Aqua saw a familiar bear-pelt headdress; it was the bandit chief from the day before, and he didn't look like he was in good shape. Bruises marred his bare chest, one of his axes had its head broken off, and what clothes he wore were in tatters. As he pushed himself up, a shotgun blast rang out as he flew back once more, his aura shattering as he tumbled back to the ground.</p><p>"You done yet?" Aqua heard Mud shout. She turned to see Mud standing in the remnants of the building, shotgun in hand. Chunks of her armor and clothes had been cut through or gouged off, and cuts and bruises were apparent across her face and body. However, besides that, she seemed to be in better shape than Aqua or the bandit chief. She looked over to see Viola and Aqua watching her. "Oh, it's you two. Shit, kid, what happened to you?"</p><p>"I, uh, got into an encounter with Roland. Turns out, he's the traitor we were looking for. I managed to beat him, though," Aqua said, looking down at the gash across her chest. "I got this from him, but as long as I hold the blood in with my semblance, I should be okay until I get someone to actually patch this up."</p><p>"Huh, figures that it'd be him. Nice job taking him down," Mud said, turning her attention back towards the bandit chief. "You still wanna continue? Most of your bandit friends have been taken out, and your aura's broken. I suggest you surrender, unless you want something else broken too."</p><p>"Do you think I will stop just because my aura has depleted?" the bandit chief said, pushing himself onto one knee. "There is more to the Ursine's power beyond weapons and aura. The strength of the ancestors empowers us... and we shall reclaim it from the ruins of this town that defiled our sacred ground."</p><p>"I dunno what you're talking about, but if you try anything, all you'll reclaim is a bullet in the face," Mud said, raising her shotgun towards the bandit chief. "Drop your weapons, or I shoot."</p><p>"Long before our tribe settled along the river, the great ancestors imbued their power into the sacred land, leaving it for the generations to come," the chief said as his axes clattered to the ground. He pressed his palm against the ground, and suddenly, the area around him seemed to glow. "Your people drove out our tribe, forced us apart, and kept from us the power gifted to us by our ancestors. And now, I shall use that power to raze this town to the ground and return it to its rightful state!"</p><p>"What the fuck are you - "</p><p>A flash of light blinded Aqua as a burst of energy erupted from the bandit chief, interrupting Mud and knocking all three girls back. As Aqua looked up, she no longer saw the bandit chief kneeling on the ground. Instead, she saw a giant bear, larger than any Ursa she had ever seen. Despite being on all fours it stood nearly three times as tall as Aqua, and she figured that if it stood up, it could easily tower over the roofs of the surrounding buildings. Each of its arms was thicker than her body, with claws nearly as large as the blade Viola wielded and just as sharp. Thick brown fur covered its entire body, and its savage eyes scanned over the three girls before it turned its head upwards, letting loose a roar that shook the ground beneath them.</p><p>"What the fuck is that?!" Mud shouted, pushing herself back onto her feet as the other two girls did the same. "Why the fuck is he a giant bear now?!"</p><p>"The journal I read said something about the Ursine warriors taking the form of bears," Aqua said, recalling what Khaki Phthalo had written in his journal as she raised her spear with her good arm. "I had no idea it meant that literally!"</p><p>"We need to take down this... bear," Viola said, watching as the giant bear looked back down at them. It roared once more, and the sound alone caused Aqua to stumble back. "With its size, it could easily rampage through and destroy much of the town if we let it run loose."</p><p>"Dunno if I can take this thing down by myself," Mud said as the bear charged forward, swiping its paw at Mud. She dodged to the side, and the bear smashed through the building behind her, tearing it down with a single strike of its oversized paw. Mud pumped a shotgun blast directly into its side, but the bullets simply disappeared into its thick fur and hide, and the bear only groaned slightly in response. "You two gonna help me or what?"</p><p>"Uh, Miss Mud," Viola said, bringing up her sword. "I do not think Aqua is in the best condition for - "</p><p>"I'm fine. As long as I have aura, I won't bleed out," Aqua said, taking a water crystal and using it to form a new tendril. "Besides, you used some of your aura to help me, so you won't be at full strength."</p><p>"If you're sure. Remember kid, you're strong enough to take care of yourself, so I don't want you dying on me," Mud said, pulling a grenade from her waist and tossing it at the bear as it turned towards her. The grenade exploded against the bear's side, but it did little more than make it stumble slightly and anger it, singing its fur but not breaking through its hide. "Damn, this thing's tough."</p><p>"Over here!" Aqua shouted, lashing her tendril out and striking at the bear's face. It growled, turning towards her and swiping at her. As she stepped back and away from the strike, the bear's claws dug through the street where she was just standing, gouging out large portions of the pavement. "Viola, see if you can find a weak point!"</p><p>"I will try!" Viola said, dashing past Aqua while the giant bear was distracted. As she ducked underneath the bear's stomach, she pressed a yellow crystal into her sword before stabbing upwards into the belly of the beast. However, despite the white lightning that crackled against the bear's fur, it didn't seem to be damaged, though it did let out an angry growl as it stepped away from Viola.</p><p>"Get out of there!" Mud shouted as the bear lunged forward at frightening speeds, it's jaws snapping at Viola. Viola leaped back, barely avoiding being crushed between the bear's teeth. However, the bear reached out, swiping a paw at Viola before she could retreat out of range and tagging her with the tip of its claws. Despite being a glancing blow, it was still enough to send Viola flying back, tumbling across the ground as her aura shimmered in protest.</p><p>"Viola!" Aqua shouted, looking back at her fallen ally. She heard a roar and turned back to see the bear rushing towards her, paw drawn back and ready to smash her into the street. Before she could react, the paw suddenly exploded into a ball of flame, blowing it back and causing the bear to roar in anger. Aqua looked to the side to see Mud pop a spent shell from her shotgun before taking a canister from her waist and tossing it up towards the bear's head.</p><p>"Might wanna look away!" Mud shouted, and Aqua followed her suggestion. Less than a second later a ringing noise pierced her ears as a flash of light lit up everything around her. As Aqua looked back, she saw the bear recoiling in pain, pawing at its eyes.</p><p>"We have only angered it thus far. Its hide is thicker than any armor I have seen, and a mere touch of its claws was enough to drain much of my aura," Viola said, pushing herself back onto her feet. "It is a far greater foe than any Grimm I have seen... can we truly defeat it?"</p><p>"I don't care how much ancestor-magic that bandit chief used to turn into this stupid mega-bear. It's still a bear, and it's probably got the same weaknesses as one," Mud said, loading a new shell into her shotgun as she watched the bear writhe and blindly swipe at the air, occasionally smashing through one of the buildings lining the street. "I'm guessing it's got a brain, so I bet it'd die if I blasted it through the eye or the mouth. I just need it to stand still for a few moments so I can get up there without being crushed to a paste..."</p><p>"If you need to restrain it, I can do that," Aqua said, remembering how she defeated Roland. She looked over at the bear, which was beginning to recover from the flashbang. "We just need to get it to the river."</p><p>"Well, if you think you can do that, then let's lure the thing over there," Mud said, raising her shotgun and blasting the bear in the face. It recoiled for a moment before turning back towards her, roaring in anger and charging forward. The three girls turned and ran, moving towards the river; however, with the bear's size and powerful legs, it was quickly closing the distance.</p><p>"I will slow it down!" Viola said, turning towards the bear as she slotted a brown crystal into her sword. She stabbed her sword into the street, causing jagged spires of rock and earth to rise in front of her, directly in the bear's path. As she ran to rejoin Aqua and Mud, the bear stopped for a moment, raising a paw and smashing through the obstacles with ease before continuing the chase.</p><p>"Take this!" Aqua shouted, grabbing a fire crystal from her bag and slinging it back at the quickly-approaching bear. The crystal struck the side of the bear's face, exploding into a ball of flame and causing it to recoil as it roared in anger. However, a moment later its eyes refocused on Aqua, and the chase continued. "How much longer until the river?"</p><p>"Don't ask me, you're the ones that came from there," Mud said, pulling out her pistol and turning to take potshots at the bear as she ran. While most of the bullets were absorbed by its thick hide, one managed to land on the bear's nose, causing it to slow down for a moment as it roared out in pain. "It better be close, cause I dunno how much longer we can stall this thing!"</p><p>"There it is!" Viola shouted, pointing ahead. Sure enough, the street ahead gave way to the river's shore. Aqua looked back to see the bear still charging towards them, tearing up the street with its massive weight and sharp claws as it closed the distance.</p><p>"Good. Now, you two need to distract and restrain it while I take it out," Mud said as they reached the shore. Suddenly, she separated from the two girls, slipping into an alleyway by the shore and out of sight.</p><p>"Hey!" Viola shouted. "What is she - "</p><p>"She knows what she's doing. We should trust her," Aqua said, turning towards the bear down the street that was quickly approaching. "Speaking of, I need you to keep its attention for a few seconds while I get water from the river."</p><p>"I will try," Viola said, raising her sword towards the bear. Aqua nodded before turning away, running onto the shore before leaping into the river. Her semblance immediately took hold of the surrounding water, gathering it around herself. She launched herself out of the river and back onto shore with two giant tendrils of water trailing behind her, each nearly as thick as the bear's arms. There, she saw Viola ducking and dodging away from the giant bear's attacks, narrowly dodging each swipe and smash of its great arms.</p><p>"I got it!" Aqua shouted. Viola nodded, leaping out of range as Aqua shot out both of her giant tendrils, each wrapping around one of the giant bear's forelimbs and pulling them towards her. The bear fought back, pulling at the tendrils as it attempted to free itself. Controlling this much water while on dry land was already taxing on what remained of her aura, and with the bear fighting back against her grip, she was barely holding on. "It's strong... need a little help!"</p><p>"On it!" Viola replied, running past the bear's front legs as she pressed a light blue crystal into her sword. She slashed into the bear's hind legs, and though her blade didn't penetrate its hide, ice began to form over its feet, freezing its hind legs to the ground. The bear roared, attempting to turn away, but Aqua pulled it back towards her as Viola continued to strike its legs, further building up the ice that held it down.</p><p>"I can't hold for much longer!" Aqua shouted, straining her aura as she attempted to hold down the giant bear's forelimbs with her semblance-controlled water. The bear jerked an arm back and Aqua stumbled forward slightly, nearly losing balance before pulling back and pinning the arm down again. "Where's Mud? She should be - "</p><p>"Right here!"</p><p>Aqua looked up to see Mud on the roof of a nearby building, just over where the two girls were fighting the giant bear. After a moment of observing the situation, Mud leaped off the building, landing on the bear's back. She quickly made her way onto the bear's head, seemingly unaffected by the bear's thrashing as it attempted to free itself from Aqua's grip. Then, she grabbed onto the bear's fur before dropping down, hanging right next to it's eye.</p><p>"Let's see how you like this!" Mud shouted, sticking her shotgun directly against the bear's eye. Before it could react, Mud blasted out the bear's eye, causing it to explode into a bloody mess as the bear howled in pain. It thrashed about, trying to shake Mud off, but she held on, firing another shot and further gouging out the eye.</p><p>"I think it's working!" Aqua shouted as she heard the giant bear roar in agony. It tried to bring its paws up to swat Mud off its head, but Aqua maintained her grip on the bear's forelimbs, keeping them pinned to the ground. Mud blasted the bear's eye several more times, carving a deeper and deeper hole into the bear's eye socket.</p><p>"Gonna be surprised as fuck if you survive this," Mud said, reaching into a pouch by her waist and pulling out a cluster of grenades. She pulled the pin off one before smashing the whole cluster into the bear's bloody eye socket. Then, she dropped down to the ground, quickly making her way past Aqua. "Might wanna clear the area!"</p><p>"Alright," Aqua said, still holding down the bear's forelimbs. She looked over at Viola, who was still by the bear's hind legs, freezing them with her sword. "Viola, move! I'll hold him down until you get away!"</p><p>"Thank you!" Viola shouted back, stepping out from behind the giant bear and running away into a nearby alley. However, before Aqua could release her grip and clear the area herself, the bear roared in anger, suddenly pulled back with greater force than it had ever pulled before. Caught off guard, Aqua found herself pulled off balance, stumbling forward as the bear freed one of its paws from her grip.</p><p>The next instant, that paw smashed directly into Aqua's chest, shattering her aura and sending her hurtling back. Her whole body screamed in pain as her back smashed against something hard, stopping her flight. Her vision went blurry, and she tried to draw breath, only to cry out as she felt a piercing pain in her chest. She put a hand to her chest, and it came away wet with blood. Her head was spinning as she realized that her wound was probably spilling blood once again, no longer held in place by her semblance.</p><p><em>Ah... that's probably bad,</em> Aqua thought as her consciousness began to fade. She heard a large explosion and looked up to see a great ball of fire rise into the air as a large brown shape - probably the bear, though her eyesight was getting blurrier by the second - slumped to the ground.</p><p>The last thing she heard before she passed out was two voices, each calling her name.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>And there's chapter 10! Teacher and student come back to defend Palebrook, the traitor is revealed (how many of you figured that out? I may have left some hints in earlier chapters), and the day is saved by a trio of girls... though it seems one of them has ended up in a less-than-stellar shape. This is the climax of the arc, so expect things to wind down after this, though there's still some things left to resolve, so stay tuned!</p><p>As always, please, please, PLEASE, don't hesitate to leave a comment. While I'm appreciative of those of you who read my story, comments let me know what my audience is actually thinking about the story. It doesn't need to be a big formal review with a bunch of criticism or analysis or anything, though I'll welcome it if it is. Just, if you've got anything at all to say, no matter how short or long, positive or negative, please leave a comment. I really do want to know what y'all are thinking, because without any feedback it just feels like I'm posting to the void.</p><p>With that said, have a nice day, and you can expect the next chapter in six days as usual!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. From Then to Now</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"<em>Well, you seem to have fully recovered. Just remember that the new skin on your back will be somewhat delicate for a few days, so remember to wear a shirt and try to keep out of the sun," Aqua's mom said, looking over Resina's body. "And please, try not to overexert yourself. You were lucky enough to be saved by my daughter this time. Don't expect that to happen again."</em></p><p>"<em>Don't worry, I don't expect to be in any more shipwrecks anytime soon," Resina said with a chuckle. "And thank you so much for caring for me. I don't have any money on me, but I'll return when I - "</em></p><p>"<em>Don't bother. If you really wanna repay me, then keep your body healthy and use it to help others," Aqua's mom said. "I'm not interested in making money off a wanderer without a single bit of lien in her pockets."</em></p><p>"<em>T - thank you," Resina said. "Well then, I should probably be leaving. I don't want to burden you any further. Do you know which way it is to Vale?"</em></p><p>"<em>You'll want to take the road north towards Timberlane," Aqua's mom said, looking up at a clock hanging on the wall. "Actually, it's a few hours from here, and it's almost dark. How about you stay one more night? Dinner's on the stove already."</em></p><p>"<em>Well, if you're offering, I can't refuse," Resina said with a smile.</em></p><p>"<em>Great. Let me go finish preparing dinner," Aqua's mom said. Aqua watched as her mom left the guest room before entering herself.</em></p><p>"<em>So, you're leaving tomorrow?" Aqua asked.</em></p><p>"<em>Looks like it," Resina said. "It's been nice, and your family has helped me so much... but I should probably start moving again. Thanks again for saving me; I might not be alive if it wasn't for you."</em></p><p>"<em>You're welcome... and I think I'm gonna miss you a bit," Aqua said. "It gets boring around here, all by myself."</em></p><p>"<em>All by yourself?" Resina asked. "You don't have any friends or anything?"</em></p><p>"<em>Well, there's no one really my age in Clearwater," Aqua explained. "There's the adults and some younger kids, but... I never really talked with them much."</em></p><p>"<em>I see..." Resina said. "I had a younger sister, you know. I think she'd be around your age, actually."</em></p><p>"<em>Really?" Aqua asked. "What was she like?"</em></p><p>"<em>She was a good kid. Energetic, optimistic, and always willing to help out," Resina explained. "A bit fragile, but that didn't stop her from backing down from a fight. I had to teach her how to fight properly because she wouldn't stop pestering me."</em></p><p>"<em>She sounds nice," Aqua said. "But you said 'was'... if you don't mind me asking, did something happen to her?"</em></p><p>"<em>Oh no, she's not dead! Well, I don't think she is," Resina said. "It's just... we were separated about five years ago, when our village burned to the ground. I haven't seen her since then."</em></p><p>"<em>Huh. Is that why you're traveling around so much?" Aqua asked. "To find your sister?"</em></p><p>"<em>Not exactly," Resina said. "I would love to reunite with my sister... but there's some things I have to take care of first."</em></p><p>"<em>What things?" Aqua asked. "What's more important than being with your sister again?"</em></p><p>"<em>I... Sorry, but I can't really tell you right now," Resina said. "But who knows, maybe you'll run into her someday. I think you two might get along well."</em></p><p>"<em>Maybe," Aqua said. "That'd be nice."</em></p><hr/><p>
  <strong>Chapter 11: From Then to Now</strong>
</p><p>
  <em>Urgh... where am I...</em>
</p><p>Aqua's head pounded as she woke up. Her chest was aching, and she was having slight trouble breathing, though not enough to panic. She was lying on something soft, with what felt like a pillow underneath her head and bedsheets pulled over her body. As Aqua opened her eyes, she saw that she was on a bed in a small, white-walled room. She looked around to see a closed door, a window, and a few machines she didn't recognize, as well as what looked like Mud's backpack sitting on a chair by the bed.</p><p>"Augh... what the heck happened?" Aqua muttered, trying to push herself up with her left arm. However, it gave way from underneath her, causing her to fall back down to the bed. At that moment, she remembered what had happened in Palebrook. Her fight with Roland, being slashed across the chest, nearly drowning him in the river, and the battle against the giant bear the chief had turned into; it all came rushing back into her head. With her good arm, Aqua threw off her bedsheets to see that she was wearing a simple white patient's gown. She peered underneath to see that much of her chest had been bandaged over, including the gash Roland had made across the front of her body.</p><p>"Hello?" Aqua heard someone say. She looked up to see a woman in a doctor's coat at the door, holding a clipboard. "Oh, that's good. It looks like you're awake."</p><p>"Where... where am I?" Aqua asked. "What happened to Palebrook? Where's Mud and Viola? What time is it?"</p><p>"Calm down. This is a clinic in Agrina; you were brought here along with some more people that were injured in the battle. It's about five in the afternoon," the woman said. "As for those two you mentioned... they wouldn't happen to be a brown-haired girl in armor and a purple-haired girl with a sword? They brought you in last night, and the brown-haired girl has been in and out checking on you all day."</p><p>"That's... so the battle's over?" Aqua asked. "What happened?"</p><p>"I don't know exactly what happened, but from what I heard, they were able to successfully repel the attackers and preserve the town, though not without damage to the town itself," the woman explained. "Now sit up; I need to do a check-up on you now that you're awake."</p><p>"That's a relief," Aqua said, sitting up and allowing the woman to check over her body. As the woman changed her bandages, she saw that the gash Roland had cut down her chest had been stitched together. "Uh... how bad are they? My injuries, I mean?"</p><p>"You've had lots of bleeding, both internal and external. You're lucky that you weren't cut deeper. While it did damage some of your left side pectoral muscles, it could have been a lot worse, though it's still going to leave a nasty scar. You also have some fractured ribs," the woman explained, writing a few notes down on her clipboard as she finished looking over Aqua's body. "Fortunately, you have a strong aura. Your body should be able to heal on its own over the next week or so, though I don't want you doing any major physical activities until then."</p><p>"I understand," Aqua said as the woman left the room, leaving her alone once more. She looked around, her eyes settling on Mud's bag. One of the pockets had what looked like a photo sticking out of it; she leaned over, taking a closer look.</p><p><em>What's this?</em> Aqua thought, taking the picture from the bag to get a better look at it. The picture depicted two people, each smiling at the camera, with a small house in the background. One of the subjects was a young girl, probably about seven years old with short brown hair and fair skin. The other person -</p><p>"Aqua?"</p><p>Aqua quickly stuffed the picture back into Mud's backpack before looking at the door. Upon seeing who had called her name, her heart skipped a beat; both of her parents were standing at the door, looking at her. "Mom? Dad? What are you - "</p><p>"Oh, thank the gods you're alright!" Aqua's mom said, quickly running to Aqua's side and hugging her. Unfortunately, she was holding Aqua tight enough that her already-injured ribs were beginning to hurt. "We were so worried..."</p><p>"Ow! Mom, I'm still injured," Aqua said, gently pushing her mother off. "But yeah, I'm alright... but how'd you find me?"</p><p>"We've been searching for you for the past few days, asking if anyone had seen you north and south of Clearwater," Aqua's dad explained. "Last night, a passing truck driver claimed that he had seen you in Palebrook, but by the time we got there... oh, thank goodness you're alright."</p><p>"Relax, I'm fine," Aqua said. "I can take care of myself."</p><p>"Evidently not, judging by your current state," Aqua's mom said. "Once you're discharged from this clinic, we're taking you back to Clearwater. No more delusions about running away and - "</p><p>"No!" Aqua shouted, interrupting her mother. "I'm not going back! Once I'm discharged, I'm going to Vale, and I'm going to get into Beacon!"</p><p>"Now, Aqua, we've already talked about this," Aqua's dad said. "Being a Huntress and fighting Grimm is a dangerous job. You've only been away from home for a few days, and you're already this injured; imagine the risks that you'd take if you stuck with this path and became a Huntress. I think it would be better if you came back home and learned - "</p><p>"I don't want to be a fisherman! Or a healer!" Aqua said, turning towards her mother. "I know you don't want me risking my life, but I want to be a Huntress, and I'm strong enough to fend for myself and do just that!"</p><p>"The kid's right, you know."</p><p>Aqua looked over to see Mud standing in the doorway, watching Aqua and her parents. She stepped forward, stopping by the foot of Aqua's bed.</p><p>"Oh, hey Mud," Aqua said, giving a little wave with her good arm.</p><p>"Hey," Mud said before turning towards Aqua's parents and extending a hand. "You're the mom and dad, right. Nice to meet you."</p><p>"Ah," Aqua's dad said, shaking Mud's hand. "Good to meet you, Miss..."</p><p>"Stone," Mud said. "Mud Stone. I traveled with your daughter over the past few days."</p><p>"Hello, Miss Stone," Aqua's mom said. "I'm Mint Regia, and this is my husband Coral. And you said you were with my daughter after she ran away?"</p><p>"Yeah, we met on the road between Clearwater and Timberlane," Mud explained. "And I'm sorry if I'm butting into your little family dilemma, but if you don't mind, I think I've got something to say that might give you some insight into the whole situation."</p><p>"Mud, you don't have to stand up for me," Aqua said. "I can convince them myself, it'll be - "</p><p>"Look, I know you wanna stand up for yourself, but I think it'd be better if y'all get a third party to look at this situation," Mud interrupted. "That third party being me."</p><p>"I'd like to hear what Miss Stone has to say," Aqua's dad said. "You've been traveling with our daughter for the past few days; what are your thoughts?"</p><p>"Well, like I said, we met on the road, probably about twelve or so hours after your daughter ran away," Mud said, looking at Aqua. Aqua nodded in confirmation. "Anyways, she sucked. Couldn't even take on a couple of bandits; I had to save her from being shot in the face."</p><p>"Hey!" Aqua shouted. "I thought you were supposed to be helping me!"</p><p>"Hold up, I ain't finished," Mud said. "Anyways, some stuff happened, and I offered to take her under my wing, teach her a bit of what I know."</p><p>"Really?" Aqua's mom asked. "Are you a combat instructor or anything like that?"</p><p>"Nah, just a passing mercenary," Mud said. "I'll be honest: when I first met her, she didn't have what it takes to get into Beacon. If she traveled up to Vale by herself, she'd either get killed on the way there or fail the entrance exam."</p><p>"You said 'when I first met her'," Aqua's dad pointed out. "It's only been a few days. What's changed?"</p><p>"Well, I started teaching your daughter, and she'd help me on some jobs in return. Things like escorting supply trucks and guarding town borders at night," Mud explained. "And one thing I learned? She picks up on things really quickly."</p><p>"Huh?" Aqua asked. "What do you mean?"</p><p>"When I picked you up, you sucked. Sure, you could swing a spear, but you had no idea how to fight people, you'd never even seen a bullet before, and you weren't taking advantage of what's probably one of the stronger semblances I've seen," Mud explained, turning towards Aqua's parents. "So I decided to help her a bit. Give her some advice, show her a few techniques, nothing big."</p><p>"You shot bullets at me," Aqua said.</p><p>"Really?" Aqua's mom asked. "That doesn't seem too safe..."</p><p>"Relax, they were rubber bullets. Besides, your daughter's got a lot of aura; she can take a hit or two," Mud said. "Anyways, I give her a few tips and pointers. Some stuff to keep in mind. Then, we end up taking a job that involves some encounters with a bandit group hanging outside Palebrook. Some really nasty guys."</p><p>"Is that..." Aqua's dad began to say. "Is that why she's in this state? Was the job too dangerous?"</p><p>"Well, kinda yes to the first part, but lemme get to what I wanted to say. When we started that job, your daughter was a novice. Had trouble with a few Beowolves, and couldn't win against a couple of guys with guns," Mud said. "A few days later, she was a whole different story. I saw her take on packs of Beowolves by herself, fight bandits who could smash through boulders with ease, and even subdue a rogue Huntsman all by herself. Not to mention the stuff she did outside of battle; she was able to follow along on my investigations pretty well, and even figured out that the Huntsman had gone rogue on her own."</p><p>"You took down a Huntsman?" Aqua's mom asked. "Like, an actual trained Huntsman? By yourself?"</p><p>"It wasn't easy. I think I got lucky," Aqua said, pointing at the bandages over her chest. "That's where I got this."</p><p>"Point is, with a little guidance and nudging, your daughter went from being a complete novice to quite a competent fighter in the few days she was away from home," Mud said. "She's still a lot to learn, but that's just a few days. If she's already matched blades with a full-on Huntsman with those few days of training, how far do you think she could go with a few years at Beacon, taught by some of the best Huntsmen in the world? She'd certainly do a lot more than she would as a fisherwoman."</p><p>"That may be the case," Aqua's dad said. "But still, being a Huntress is too - "</p><p>"Dad, I'll be fine," Aqua said. "I know there's at least some risk in being a Huntress, no matter what I do, but isn't it the same with fishing? What if a pack of Gnashers suddenly attacks your boat? Or a Feilong? The Grimm are everywhere, and if I'm going to have to fight them, it would be better if I was trained to do so, right?"</p><p>"I guess that's true..." Aqua's dad muttered.</p><p>"Look, what I'm trying to say is that your daughter is going to be fine," Mud said. "She's strong and smart enough to take care of herself. Let her chase after her dream of becoming a Huntress. I think she'd much rather do that then become a fisherwoman or a healer like one of you, no offense. Who knows, she might just become one of the greatest Huntresses of this generation."</p><p>"But what if she gets injured again, or worse?" Aqua's mom asked. "This time was enough to put her in a hospital bed. What if she doesn't come back next time? I don't care if my daughter becomes a world-famous Huntress if she dies doing it."</p><p>"Mom, I... I can't guarantee that I'll survive my entire career as a Huntress," Aqua said, remembering how close she had come to death the previous night. "It's a risky job, and even if I try to stay as safe as I can, things might happen. But I would rather become a Huntress and take the risk of injury or death than stay safe in Clearwater as a fisherwoman or a healer. That's how much I want to be a Huntress."</p><p>"Is that what you truly want?" Aqua's mom asked, turning towards Aqua. "To become a Huntress instead of following me or your father? To risk your life fighting for others?"</p><p>"Absolutely. You've seen how much I enjoy fighting, whether it's facing Gnashers in Clearwater bay or just whacking away at the post outside our house," Aqua said. "I know you two are worried about me, and you don't want me to become a Huntress, but... I still want to do it. More than anything else."</p><p>"And can you promise us that you'll stay safe?" Aqua's dad asked. "That you'll come back to us alive?"</p><p>"Like I said, I can't guarantee it," Aqua said. "Being a Huntress is a risky job. But I'll try to stay alive."</p><p>"I think that's the best you can ask for, considering what a Huntress does," Mud said. "Plus, if you say no, she'll probably just run away again."</p><p>"Well, if that's the case..." Aqua's mom said, pausing for a moment. "I suppose if you're that dedicated, I shouldn't keep you from your desires. I don't like it, but I think we'll let you go to Vale and take the Beacon entrance exam."</p><p>"Yes!" Aqua shouted, pumping her good fist in the air before clutching at her chest as a stinging pain ran through it. "Oh yeah, no physical exertion..."</p><p>"Would you mind if I escorted your daughter the rest of the way to Vale?" Mud asked. "I promised her that I'd take her there, and I figure you two have jobs you need to get back to."</p><p>"If you've helped Aqua get to where she is now over the past few days, I have no issue with trusting her to you for a while longer, as long as it's fine with her," Aqua's dad said. "We'd very much appreciate you doing that. And please, make sure she gets to Vale safely. I don't want to hear that she's been hospitalised again, or worse."</p><p>"Will do," Mud said. "And don't worry, I won't bring her on a job she can't handle."</p><p>"Aqua, you said you helped on a job involving a bandit group?" Aqua's mom asked. "What happened there? Is it related to what happened to Palebrook last night?"</p><p>"Well, you see..."</p><p>Aqua began telling her parents about her travels with Mud, the jobs the two took, the training sessions they had, the fights they got into, and more. Though they often winced or cringed in fear of Aqua's safety during certain points, they became more and more enthralled as she continued on, telling about how she eventually helped to take down Roland and save the town from a giant bear. After that, Aqua's parents noticed it was getting late. They said their goodbyes and left for the local inn, where they were staying the night, leaving Aqua and Mud alone in the room.</p><p>"By the way, I brought you something to eat," Mud said, pulling a small package from her pocket and tossing it to Aqua, who unwrapped it and found a small ham and cheese sandwich. "Dunno if they've been feeding you here."</p><p>"Thanks," Aqua said, biting down into the sandwich. "So, uh... what happened after I passed out? Last thing I remember was being smashed by that giant bear, and then you and Viola calling my name..."</p><p>"Well, the giant bear died," Mud said. "That much explosives right up in your head is bound to kill anything, even some giant super-bear."</p><p>"What was that bear, anyways?" Aqua asked, pausing for a moment to continue on the sandwich. "And how did the chief turn into that? It wasn't his semblance, since his aura was broken... maybe he's a Faunus?"</p><p>"Have you ever met a Faunus before?" Mud asked, and Aqua shook her head. "All they have are animal ears or tails or shit like that. They don't actually turn into animals, and they certainly don't turn into fuck-off huge bears like that. Never seen anything like it. It's probably some sort of cult spirit magic bullshit, considering all the shit he said before he transformed."</p><p>"What happened to the chief?" Aqua asked. "Is he still alive?"</p><p>"Well, after I blew up the super-bear's head and it died, it transformed back into the chief. Who also had his head blown up," Mud said. "I guess the secret to his magic transformation bullshit dies with him. And a good thing too, cause I don't wanna fight another super-bear in my life."</p><p>"And what happened to Roland?" Aqua asked, finishing off what remained of the sandwich. "Did you catch him?"</p><p>"Well, after you passed out, Viola took you to get medical attention while I went to go arrest Roland. Fortunately, he was still unconscious by the river by the time I got to him, so that was easy," Mud explained. "You really did a number on him, kid. He's probably being taken to Vale right now for his trial. Plus, they found the stolen supplies in an abandoned shack in Palebrook, and his fingerprints are all over them, so we got a good case."</p><p>"That's a relief," Aqua said. Her eyes wandered over to Mud's backpack, where she spotted the picture again. "Hey, can I ask you something?"</p><p>"What is it?" Mud asked.</p><p>"I saw a photo hanging out of your backpack earlier," Aqua said, turning and pointing at the photo. "That was you, right? Back when you were younger?"</p><p>"Yeah," Mud said, taking the photo from her pack and looking at it. "It was maybe... ten years ago? Eleven? Somewhere around there."</p><p>"And that girl next to you," Aqua said. "Is that..."</p><p>"That's my older sister," Mud said, turning the photo so that Aqua could see. The girl beside the younger Mud was about as old as Mud was now, and had fair skin and long black hair. "I think she'd be... twenty seven this year? I'm not sure."</p><p>"You said your last name was Stone?" Aqua asked. "When you were introducing yourself to your parents?"</p><p>"Yeah, why?"</p><p>"I think I remember that name... and that girl in the picture," Aqua said. "Is your sister named Resina?"</p><p>"What?!" Mud exclaimed, suddenly more alert than before. "How do you know that? Have you met her before? When?"</p><p>"It was about... four years ago?" Aqua said, counting back the years in her head. "I found her passed out on a piece of driftwood in the ocean, and she stayed with us for a bit while my mom treated her for sunburn and exhaustion. Then, once she had recovered, she left."</p><p>"Four years? Which way did she go?" Mud asked. "Did she say anything about where she was going?"</p><p>"She was heading north, towards Vale," Aqua said. "She mentioned something about needing to take care of something before reuniting with her younger sister... I suppose she means you, doesn't she?"</p><p>"Take care of something? What the hell is she talking about..." Mud muttered, looking at the photo. "But yeah, that's me. We were separated nine years ago, when our village was burnt to the ground. Ever since then, I've been looking for her, trying to track her down... though until now, I haven't had any luck."</p><p>"I see," Aqua said. "She was a nice woman. We talked a decent bit, and she would tell me stories about her adventures... she was fun to listen to."</p><p>"Sounds like her," Mud said with a chuckle. "And her adventures... it seems like she's been up to a lot since we've separated. Once I track her down, I'll ask her to tell me about her adventures too."</p><p>"You've probably got at least as many stories as her, considering you've been a mercenary for... nine years?" Aqua said. "Though that was four years ago... I'm not sure if a destination she had four years back will help you all that much."</p><p>"Well, anything helps, considering this has been the best lead I've got in a while," Mud said. "Even if this doesn't lead to anything, I'll keep trying to find her. I want to see her again, no matter how long it takes."</p><p>"I... I hope you find her someday," Aqua said. "Who knows, maybe that lead I just gave you will turn into something useful."</p><p>"Hopefully it does," Mud said.</p><p>"And... Mud?" Aqua said. "Thanks for convincing my parents to let me continue towards Vale. It means a lot to me."</p><p>"Don't mention it. All that stuff you did? Those improvements you made, the guys you fought and defeated? Those were all you. I just showed that to your parents," Mud said. "Besides, I promised that I'd take you to Vale, right? Can't do that if your parents are in the way."</p><p>"Even so, thanks a lot," Aqua said. "I'll have to repay you for that."</p><p>"Mhmm. Oh, and speaking of repaying," Mud said, reaching into her pocket and pulling out a stack of Lien cards. She counted out a large stack before slapping it down on the table by Aqua's bed. "This is yours."</p><p>"Huh?" Aqua asked, taking the stack of Lien. It was more Lien than she had ever seen in one place; not even her parent's emergency Lien cache matched up to it. "Wh - what's this for?"</p><p>"The job, remember? Investigating and eliminating the bandit threat to Palebrook? Bandits aren't a threat any longer, partly thanks to us, so the job's complete," Mud said. "You pulled your fair share, so I'm giving you a bonus. Split it fifty-fifty this time."</p><p>"Oh, uh... thanks," Aqua said, putting the Lien back on the table since she had no pockets to put it in.</p><p>"Well, unless you got anything else to say, I'm gonna head back to the inn," Mud said, stepping towards the door. "I'll check back with you tomorrow.. See you in the morning, kid."</p><p>"Sounds good. See you tomorrow," Aqua said, watching as Mud went through the door and out of sight. She sighed, falling back and letting her head hit the pillow. Before long, she had fallen back asleep.</p><hr/><p>The next morning, Aqua found herself bored once again. After a small breakfast that the clinic had provided, she had done nothing but rest in her bed, waiting for something to happen.</p><p>"Eh, what the heck," Aqua muttered, throwing off the bedsheets and stepping out onto the floor. Her legs felt somewhat weak, probably due to lying in a bed for the past day. Though her left arm was still weak and it still hurt to breathe deeply, both her arm and her ribs seemed to be better compared to yesterday. <em>I guess that's the power of aura...</em></p><p>"Aqua?"</p><p>Aqua looked up to see Viola standing at the door. "Oh, hey Viola," Aqua said, giving a little wave with her good arm.</p><p>"I am glad to see you are well," Viola said. "Mud told me that you woke up yesterday. I am sorry I could not see you then, as I was busy sorting things out with the town guard and helping to rebuild the parts of the town that were destroyed."</p><p>"Don't worry about it. I was just about to go walk around a bit, if you wanna join me," Aqua said. Viola nodded, and the two exited the room and began walking around the clinic. "Mud told me that Roland was arrested. That means you're off the hook, right?"</p><p>"That is correct. Roland has been arrested and was handed over to the soldiers from Vale that arrived yesterday," Viola said. "From what I have heard, Mud told everyone how he was the one truly working with the bandits, and they found his fingerprints all over the stolen supplies that were recovered, so my charges were cleared."</p><p>"I guess I'll have to thank Mud for doing that," Aqua said.</p><p>"To be fair, it was you who subdued him in the first place. If you had not done that, who knows what may have happened?" Viola reminded Aqua. "From what I heard, the majority of the fires that night were from explosives that he had planted across town. If you had not stopped him, he may have gone directly for the guards... Palebrook may not be standing today."</p><p>"That's true," Aqua said. "He was supposed to be a Huntsman, wasn't he? He said he lost his team... I wonder what happened to them?"</p><p>"I actually looked that up yesterday," Viola said. "Apparently, the rest of his team was killed during a mission to clear a Dust mine of Grimm. Ever since then, he has mostly taken up missions helping to defend small towns on the outskirts of the kingdom... some of which were destroyed under various circumstances. Usually by raiders or bandits."</p><p>"Well, looks like we managed to get him this time," Aqua said. "I guess I feel kinda sorry for him though, since his entire team was killed... must be hard to keep believing in your work after that. But still, it's good that he's in custody."</p><p>"Certainly. And since the bandit chief was slain, most of the bandits have dispersed," Viola said. "It seems they were gathered under him by the promise of the opportunity to loot the town once they had driven out the citizens, but with their attack having failed and their leader dead, there is no point to sticking around any longer."</p><p>"So I guess only the chief was part of that 'Ursine' tribe," Aqua muttered. "Everyone else was in it for the pillaging."</p><p>"Maybe so. Hopefully, Palebrook will not have to contend with any more giant bears," Viola said with a slight smile. "With the bandits gone, all that is left is for us to rebuild."</p><p>"Oh yeah, you have to rebuild all the stuff that was burned down," Aqua said. "And you have to find and train replacements for the guards that were killed... it seems like tough times ahead. I'm sorry I'm sitting around here instead of helping you guys."</p><p>"You have done more than enough to help the town. You deserve some rest," Viola said. "Besides, you wish to be a Huntress, do you not? You should focus on training with Mud and heading up towards Vale to take your entrance exam."</p><p>"That's true..." Aqua said. "Actually, what about you?"</p><p>"What do you mean?" Viola asked.</p><p>"I mean, do you want to come with us?" Aqua asked. "The doctor said I'll heal up in about a week, and after that, Mud and I will probably head up towards Vale and register for Beacon. When that happens, maybe you'd like to come with us? Like I said before, there's no reason you can't do the same."</p><p>"I will admit, I have been thinking about the idea ever since you proposed it to me a few days ago," Viola said. "While I was content in Palebrook, I do not think I would have liked to stay there forever. Leaving and becoming a Huntress seemed somewhat... appealing, especially after my arrest."</p><p>"So..."</p><p>"So I am considering the offer," Viola said. "However, it will take more than a week for Palebrook to get back on its feet. Buildings need to be rebuilt, new defenses must be established, and new guards need to be trained. I am sorry, but I do not think I will be joining you on your way to Vale."</p><p>"Aw..."</p><p>"However, that does not mean I will not join you at Beacon," Viola said. "Eventually, after much rebuilding, Palebrook will be back on its feet. I imagine it may take about a month, give or take. When that happens, I will say my goodbyes and leave for Vale to take Beacon's entrance exam. And when I get into Beacon, I hope you will join me there."</p><p>"That's..." Aqua said, pausing for a moment. "That sounds good to me. And considering you've been beating me in our sparring matches, I'm pretty sure you've got what it takes to pass the entrance exam."</p><p>"Are you quite certain?" Viola asked. "You managed to beat a fully-trained Huntsman, and Mud told me you took down that girl with the giant fists... it is possible you have already surpassed me, considering how close our last fight was."</p><p>"Only one way to find out, right?" Aqua said with a smile. "Though actually, we'll have to hold off on that until I get discharged..."</p><p>"Heh... perhaps then, we can spar once more. Maybe it will be my farewell gift before you leave for Beacon," Viola said. "But when that happens, do not hold back. I wish to see how much you have improved in the past few days up close."</p><p>"Only if you do the same," Aqua said with a chuckle. "Mud thinks I'm good enough to get into Beacon, so if you wanna get into Beacon, you'll have to do well against me."</p><p>"Fair enough," Viola said, a smile on her face. The two continued on, walking through the clinic and talking about various topics from Palebrook to Beacon to whatever crossed their minds. Finally, Viola dropped Aqua back off at her room so that she could rest and continue to heal.</p><p>"I'll be heading back to Palebrook to help rebuild," Viola said as the two stood in the doorway to Aqua's room. "Depending on my schedule, I may or may not be able to visit, but I'll try to come over when I can."</p><p>"Thanks," Aqua said. "It's nice to have someone to talk to while I heal... it's kind of boring, just sitting around in the same room all day."</p><p>"Believe me, I know," Viola said with a chuckle. Aqua paused, taking a moment to think, then chuckled along with her. "Well, I should probably start on my way back. A truck driver heading towards Palebrook offered to drive me back, and I do not wish to keep him waiting."</p><p>"Alright. See you soon," Aqua said, waving with her good arm as Viola stepped away towards the exit. Viola turned and waved back before stepping through the exit and out of sight. After that, Aqua returned to her room, lying back on her bed.</p><p><em>Just a few more days, huh,</em> Aqua thought, counting the tiles on the ceiling. Just a few more days until she was discharged. Just a few more days until she moved away from the area, from Palebrook and Viola.</p><p>Just a few more days until she restarted her journey towards Vale, and towards becoming a Huntress.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>And there's chapter 11! After the events of the previous chapter, it seems Aqua's due for a bit of rest, though not before she manages to convince her parents to let her go to Beacon. And it looks like Viola's headed with her... though not immediately. Also, Mud's chasing after her sister, and it seems like said sister is someone that we and Aqua are already familiar with... what do you think she's up to, anyways?</p><p>Thanks as well to those who read the story up to this point. We're winding down after the climax, and the end of the arc will be in one or two chapters, so stay tuned for that. Please, please, PLEASE, if you've got anything to say, whether it be criticisms, feedback, or anything else, please don't hesitate to leave a comment. While I appreciate any views and kudos, it's the comments I really crave, as they let me know what my readers are thinking. With all that said, have a nice day!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. The Starting Line</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"<em>You're getting ready to go?" Aqua asked, watching as Resina packed the burlap sack that Aqua's mother had given her.</em></p><p>"<em>Yeah. It's been nice, but I think it's about time I hit the road again," Resina said. "I don't want to impose on you or your family any longer... and it might be dangerous for you if I stick around too long."</em></p><p>"<em>Why's that?" Aqua asked.</em></p><p>"<em>It's... I can't really tell you," Resina said. "You'd be better off not knowing."</em></p><p>"<em>Well, if you say so..." Aqua said. "Actually, Mom and Dad are out right now, but they wanted me to give you a few things before you go. Let me go grab them."</em></p><p>"<em>Huh?" Resina said, looking up as Aqua ran out of the guest room. A minute later, she returned holding a bundle of dried fish, a small bag, and a fishing pole.</em></p><p>"<em>Here's a bit of money from my mom. It should be enough to last you a few days, until you can find something to do," Aqua said, giving Resina the bag. Then, she handed over the dried fish and the fishing pole. "And these were from Dad... he wanted to make sure you didn't go hungry."</em></p><p>"<em>I... this is all so sweet," Resina said with a smile. She looked up at Aqua. "Please give them my thanks when I get back."</em></p><p>"<em>I will," Aqua said. She stood around for a few more moments, silently watching Resina pack her stuff. "You know, I'm gonna miss you. It was nice having you around... like a bit of a break from the usual life."</em></p><p>"<em>Yeah, it's been nice hanging around here. But as much as I'd like to stay, we all have to move on sometime," Resina said. "Maybe you'll move on someday, too."</em></p><p>"<em>What do you mean?" Aqua asked.</em></p><p>"<em>You wanna be a Huntress, right?" Resina said as she finished packing her bag. "Maybe you're stuck here for now, living a boring life of fishing and hunting the occasional Grimm... but that doesn't mean it has to be like that forever."</em></p><p>"<em>Yeah, but my parents..."</em></p><p>"<em>Like I said before, if you really want to go to Beacon and become a Huntress, you'll get there eventually. Maybe you'll convince your parents to let you go to Vale; maybe you'll run away from home," Resina said, taking her bag and standing up. "But if you've got a goal in mind, and you set yourself towards that goal... you'll get there eventually. Trust me."</em></p><p>"<em>I..." Aqua began to say before pausing for a moment. "I do want to become a Huntress. My parents might not like it... but I guess I can try to find a way to convince them."</em></p><p>"<em>That's the spirit!" Resina said with a smile. "Who knows; maybe the next time we meet, you'll be a Huntress already."</em></p><p>"<em>What about you?" Aqua asked.</em></p><p>"<em>Huh?"</em></p><p>"<em>I mean, what's the goal that you've set for yourself?" Aqua asked. "You'll be wandering around, moving from town to town... there's an end goal to all that, right?"</em></p><p>"<em>I guess... well, in the end, I want to reunite with my sister," Resina said. "She's my only family left, and she's probably somewhere out there, looking for me. I want to find her, to hold her in my arms, to be with her once again and tell her all about my adventures... but there's some things I need to do before that."</em></p><p>"<em>I see," Aqua said as Resina stepped towards the front door. "I hope you reunite with your sister."</em></p><p>"<em>And I hope you become a Huntress," Resina said, opening the front door. She stopped, looking back at Aqua, and stuck out her hand. "Promise me that you'll get there eventually?"</em></p><p>"<em>Only if you promise to get back to your sister eventually," Aqua said, shaking Resina's hand. "Don't go breaking that promise now."</em></p><p>"<em>Only if you don't break yours," Resina said. After a moment, the two released each other's hands, and Resina stood in the doorway for a moment. "Well, I guess I better get going. Thanks for everything... and good luck on becoming a Huntress."</em></p><p>"<em>I should thank you too. It's been fun," Aqua said, watching as Resina turned away, stepping out the door. She followed her outside and waved as she walked away. "Bye, and good luck on finding your sister!"</em></p><p>"<em>Thanks, and goodbye!" Resina called, turning to wave as she continued to walk away, eventually turning past a building and out of sight. Aqua stood there for a few more moments before stepping back inside, closing the door behind her. The desire to become a Huntress burned bright in the back of her mind, stoked by the flames Resina had lit in her.</em></p><p>
  <em>She was going to become a Huntress, no matter what it took.</em>
</p><hr/><p>
  <strong>Chapter 12: The Starting Line</strong>
</p><p>"And... go!"</p><p>On Mud's signal, Aqua stepped back, reaching down to grab a water crystal from her bag. At the same time, Viola rushed forward, drawing back her blade as she attempted to get in striking distance. As Aqua converted the crystal into water, she held out her spear towards Viola, using its reach to force Viola to keep her distance.</p><p><em>Gotta keep her at range,</em> Aqua thought, watching Viola as the two circled around each other. Aqua lashed out towards Viola's chest with a tendril of water, but Viola ducked past it and leaped towards Aqua, giving her barely enough time to raise her spear and block the strike with its shaft. Aqua pushed her blade to the side and attempted to strike back, but Viola immediately launched herself backwards, letting Aqua's spear cut through the air as she moved out of range.</p><p>"Come on, that all you two got? I wanna see something new!" Mud shouted. Aqua saw Viola smile as she slotted a brown crystal into her sword and launched her tendril at her once again. However, she was too late; Viola stabbed the ground, and suddenly a wave of jagged earth spikes shot up from the ground, blocking the tendril and obscuring Viola from view. Aqua cut through a rock spike that would have impaled her before jumping backwards to avoid the oncoming wave of spikes, only to look up and see Viola climb the spikes she had created and leap directly at her. Caught off guard, Aqua didn't have time to raise her spear as Viola slashed downward towards her. Instead, Aqua blocked Viola's strike with her bare arm, causing her aura to shimmer and drain as the force of the attack sent Aqua hurtling into the ground.</p><p>"You must do better if you want to defeat me this time," Viola said, landing in front of Aqua. She slashed downwards towards Aqua, who brought her spear up and blocked the strike with its shaft. Meanwhile, Aqua sent her tendril out, wrapping it around Viola's leg and pulling it out from underneath her. Viola gasped, falling to the ground as Aqua quickly pushed herself onto her feet.</p><p>"Is this better?" Aqua asked, thrusting her spear down towards Viola. Viola rolled to the side, letting Aqua's spear hit the dirt as she slashed at Aqua's ankles. Aqua leaped backwards, lashing her tendril out at Viola as she retreated and striking her directly in the chest. Viola tumbled backwards, her aura shimmering as she came to a stop.</p><p>"Yes, that is better," Viola said with a smile, pushing herself back onto her feet. She pulled the now-drained rock Dust crystal out of her sword before inserting a yellow crystal into her blade. Aqua was instantly wary, remembering how Viola had defeated her the first time they had fought.</p><p><em>Water conducts electricity, and so does my spear...</em> Aqua thought. Viola rushed forward and Aqua leaped back in response, knowing that she couldn't rely on her spear to block any of her attacks while that lightning Dust was embedded in Viola's blade. She reached into her bag and pulled out an ice Dust crystal, slinging it towards Viola's feet. Viola stepped to the side, avoiding the icy explosion. However, she did not anticipate the ice Dust freezing the ground beneath her, making it slippery and causing her to stumble forward.</p><p>"Got you!" Aqua shouted, sending out her tendril and wrapping it around Viola's wrist. Before Viola could regain her footing, Aqua pulled Viola towards her, ready to strike her down with her spear. Then, Viola threw something towards the ground, and Aqua suddenly found herself flying backwards, thrown into the air by a heavy gust of wind. She hit the ground, tumbling for a moment before stopping and pushing herself back onto her feet. "Ow... what was..."</p><p>"I may not be as good as you at it, but I can throw around Dust crystals too," Viola said. She stood in place rather than advancing towards Aqua, instead raising her blade and pointing it directly at her.</p><p><em>What's she doing? </em>Aqua thought, warily raising her spear. Her tendril was hovering around her shoulder, ready to strike out at Viola the moment she made a move. Then, Aqua heard a low humming noise. <em>Huh, what's that -</em></p><p>A flash of light erupted from Viola's blade as a bolt of electricity shot out towards Aqua. Too quick for her to react, the bolt struck Aqua directly in the chest, sending jolts of pain through her body and making her drop her spear as she was blown back. The next thing Aqua knew, she was lying with her back to the ground.</p><p>"Sorry, I suppose you were not expecting that," Viola said. Aqua looked up to see her quickly approaching, blade ready to strike down at her. "But I need whatever advantage I can get in this fight."</p><p>"Then I guess you won't mind if I do whatever I can to win too," Aqua replied. She reached into her bag, grabbing a crystal from her bag and throwing it down towards Viola's feet. It exploded into a burst of steam, obscuring the surrounding area in a cloud of water vapor. Though Aqua couldn't see anything, she could sense Viola twisting and turning aimlessly, trying to find her opponent through the steam. Aqua took the opportunity to grab her spear before sending out her tendril once again, grabbing Viola by the wrist.</p><p>"Where did you - " Viola began to say before Aqua smashed the butt of her spear into Viola's chest, cutting her off and knocking her to the ground. Before Viola could retaliate, Aqua struck the hilt of Viola's sword, knocking it out of her hand and out of her reach. Then, as the steam cleared, she pointed her spear down towards Viola's face.</p><p>"There we go," Aqua said, pausing for a moment to breathe. "Do you submit?"</p><p>"I... submit," Viola said, her body relaxing as she looked up at Aqua. "That was quite the battle. Congratulations on your first win against me."</p><p>"Thanks... though it was close. You surprised me at the end there," Aqua said, reaching down towards Viola. Viola took the hand, and Aqua pulled Viola up onto her feet. "What was that bolt you shot at me? I thought you didn't have any ranged attacks."</p><p>"Back then, I did not. Once I was released from prison, I thought that resolving such an issue would be crucial if I wanted to improve my effectiveness in combat," Viola said, picking up her sword. She brought it up for Aqua to see, pointing out several new markings that ran along the blade. "While you were recovering, I carved out several conduits along my blade that can channel the energy from the Dust crystals I use. Now, I am able to fire off the Dust energy as a projectile."</p><p>"Really? That's great!" Aqua said. "Sure seems cooler than just chucking Dust crystals around like I do."</p><p>"Well, it is still incomplete. As of now, I cannot use anything less than the crystal's entire energy for each projectile, which can be quite, well, overkill in some scenarios," Aqua explained. "But there is always time to make improvements."</p><p>"Hopefully I'll see those improvements once you join me at Beacon," Aqua said. She heard footsteps and turned to see Mud approaching the two girls.</p><p>"Nice fight," Mud said. "Though there's still some things you two gotta work on."</p><p>"Could you elaborate?" Viola asked.</p><p>"Well, you need to figure out how to fight without your sword. You're good with it, but as far as I can tell, you'd be up shit creek without it," Mud said, turning towards Aqua. "Kinda applies to you too, kid. I guess you got your water stuff so it ain't as bad, but lessons in unarmed fighting wouldn't hurt for either of you."</p><p>"I guess that could be useful," Aqua said.</p><p>"Also, kid? Don't just stand there like a dumbass if the other guy's pointing their weapon at you," Mud continued. "They're gonna be lining up their shot, even if you don't think they've got a ranged weapon - which they probably will, considering how many people use those shitty gun-blade hybrid stuff."</p><p>"Yes, I suppose any action on your part would have been better at that time," Viola said. "You somewhat just let me hit you with that."</p><p>"Look, I guess I wasn't prepared for something like that," Aqua said. She heard her stomach begin to growl. "Anyways, I'm getting hungry. How about we go get lunch before Mud and I leave for Vale?"</p><p>"I would like that," Viola said. After that, the three girls left for the nearest diner to have one last lunch together.</p><hr/><p>"It should be about time for me to head back to Palebrook," Viola said, standing by the north exit of Agrina with Aqua and Mud. "Melony wishes for me to train some new recruits for the Palebrook Guard this afternoon, and I do not wish to keep them waiting for too long."</p><p>"Isn't Melony the most experienced?" Aqua asked. "Shouldn't she be doing the training?"</p><p>"She's probably got other stuff to get to," Mud said. "Gotta be really busy with all the shit that went down last week. Lotta paperwork."</p><p>"I suppose so," Viola said. "And I believe I should be capable enough to train them."</p><p>"Well, if you think so, then I guess it'll work out fine," Aqua said.</p><p>"Yes, it hopefully will," Viola said. She paused for a moment, turning away, then looked back at Aqua. "Aqua, I... I want to thank you."</p><p>"Huh?" Aqua asked. "What for?"</p><p>"For everything that you've done," Viola said. "Helping to save Palebrook, fighting alongside me, trying to convince everyone of my innocence, capturing Roland... and being a good friend. You have done so much over the past few days, and it would be rude of me to not thank you properly after what you have done."</p><p>"Ah, well..." Aqua said, sheepishly rubbing the back of her head. "It wasn't really all me. If it weren't for Mud, things wouldn't have gone nearly as well as they did."</p><p>"Hey kid, take some credit where it's due," Mud said. "It wasn't me who took down Roland or that girl with the fists, and I couldn't have taken down that big super-bear thing without your help. You've done some Huntress-worthy things, so be proud of it."</p><p>"Indeed. If you had not come to Palebrook, I imagine things would have turned out much worse," Viola said, extending her hand. "So please, accept my thanks."</p><p>"Well then... you're welcome," Aqua said, shaking Viola's hand. "I never really had any friends my age back in Clearwater, so it's been nice getting to know you too. I'm gonna miss you when I head up to Vale."</p><p>"And I will miss you too," Viola said. "Once I finish helping Palebrook get back on its feet, I will come and find you in Beacon. Hopefully, I will not be too late to take the entrance exam and enter alongside you."</p><p>"Actually, from what I looked up, the entrance exam won't actually start up until a few days after today," Mud said. "It'll be up by the time Aqua and I get to Vale, and it'll be open for maybe a few months, so you'll have plenty of time to take it."</p><p>"Oh! That works out well, then," Viola said, turning to Aqua. "Well, I believe that I should be heading back to Palebrook now. Farewell, and I wish you good luck on your entrance exam."</p><p>"Thanks, I'll try my best!" Aqua said as Viola stepped away, heading towards the southern exit of town towards Palebrook. The two waved each other goodbye. "I'll be waiting for you at Beacon, so make sure to be there!"</p><p>"Absolutely!"</p><p>Aqua watched as Viola walked away into the town, soon turning a corner and exiting her sight. She stood there for a moment and sighed before turning towards Mud.</p><p>"Nice kid," Mud said, turning towards Aqua. "So, how about it? Ready to head to Vale?"</p><p>"Yeah, I think I'm ready," Aqua said. "Let's go."</p><hr/><p>A week later, Aqua and Mud arrived at the city of Vale. After a brief inspection, they passed through a checkpoint on the southern border, stepping into the city's agricultural district.</p><p>"Wow, these fields are huge," Aqua said, looking over the vast fields of wheat and vegetables that surrounded the road. "I think some of these are larger than Clearwater."</p><p>"Oh yeah, you ain't ever been to Vale before," Mud said. "Big city's got a lot of people. That means they need a lot of food. This is where they grow it all."</p><p>"Huh, they even have livestock," Aqua said, noticing a herd of cows in the distance. "Almost all the meat I had back in Clearwater was fish. I can't remember the last time we had pork or beef at home..."</p><p>"Yeah, well, you'll get a lot of opportunities to eat new stuff," Mud said. "Got a lot of good restaurants in Vale, and they even import stuff from Mistral and Vacuo. Plus, from what I hear, Beacon's cafeteria is pretty nice."</p><p>"So this is only one district?" Aqua asked, squinting as she looked at the buildings that rose up further along the horizon. "How big is this city?"</p><p>"It's pretty fucking big. You'd probably spend all day walking and not be able to cover it all," Mud said. "Which reminds me, we should probably catch a bus or something."</p><p>"Huh?" Aqua asked. "We don't have to hitchhike?"</p><p>"Of course not. Vale has a public transit system with buses and trams and stuff so that people can get around," Mud said. "Oh right, I guess you wouldn't know much about that, considering where you're from."</p><p>"Yeah, Clearwater's not nearly large enough that we need buses to carry us around," Aqua said. "Though in a city as big as this, I can see why it'd be useful."</p><p>"The bus should come around the southern checkpoint every so often, so we just need to wait here," Mud said. "We'll be headed to the commercial district next. That's where they're doing the entrance exams, and I need to pick up something there."</p><p>"Sounds good," Aqua said. The two stood around for a few more minutes, making small talk as they waited. Finally, a bus pulled into the checkpoint and the two girls climbed in, sitting down as it turned around and went back down the road. Aqua looked out the window, watching as the fields of wheat and vegetables eventually gave way to rows upon rows of houses.</p><p>"This is the residential district. It's where most everyone who lives in Vale stays," Mud said. "Not much to say about this place. You probably won't see much of it, though I think you might get asked to do some patrol jobs here as a student."</p><p>"You mean I won't be living here?" Aqua asked. "Then where do the students stay?"</p><p>"Up there," Mud said, pointing further away. Aqua followed her finger to see that in the distance, past a lake and at the top of a large, sheer cliff, there was a great castle-like structure, with large flying vehicles coming to and from a dock positioned directly in front of it.</p><p>"Is that... Beacon?" Aqua asked. "That's where I'll be staying?"</p><p>"Yeah, if you pass the entrance exam," Mud said. "There's dorms for you and whatever team you'll end up on, and you'll be taken up there by airship... oh yeah, airships are probably new to you too, right? That'll be a fun first flight."</p><p>"Yeah," Aqua said. As the bus exited the residential district, driving onto a bridge over the river that ran through the city, Aqua remained silent, eyes locked on the school at the top of the cliff.</p><p>"Hey, you've been quiet for a bit," Mud said. "You alright?"</p><p>"Yeah, it's just... I've been dreaming of this for a long time. Leaving Clearwater, coming to Vale, and becoming a Huntress... back then, it seemed so far out of my reach," Aqua said. "And now, I'm here. It's all kinda daunting, now that I actually have a chance to make my dream a reality."</p><p>"I guess it's a lot to take in, huh?" Mud said. "Don't worry, kid. You'll do fine. After everything you've done, the entrance exam will be a piece of cake."</p><p>"Yeah, I hope so," Aqua said. She paused for a moment before looking at Aqua. "You know, your sister was the one who originally inspired me. I promised her that I'd become a Huntress... and she promised me that she'd reunite with you someday."</p><p>"Well, looks like you'll be making good on your promise," Mud said. "I just hope she makes good on hers."</p><p>"She didn't seem like the type to break a promise," Aqua said.</p><p>"I know," Mud replied as the bus left the bridge, entering a new section of the city. This area was quite a lot busier than the residential district, with lots of traffic both on the road and along the sidewalk. A large variety of stores, restaurants, and more businesses that Aqua didn't recognize lined the street, with people going in and out of each one at a rapid pace.</p><p>"Wow," Aqua muttered. "This is a lot of people."</p><p>"Yup. Welcome to the commercial district," Mud said. "Wanna eat at a fancy Mistral-style restaurant? Buy some roses from the local flower shop to send back home? Check up on the latest weapons imported from Atlas? Go hang out at the hottest nightclubs on the continent? Anything you wanna do, it's all here, and more."</p><p>"Geez, that's a lot of things to do," Aqua said. "I've never seen anything like this at home. It'll be nice to explore this place once I get the time."</p><p>"Sure, just don't get too caught up in all of it. You still gotta focus on your training, even if you do pass the entrance exam," Mud said as Aqua nodded in response. Soon, the bus slowed to a stop. "Well, we're here. Let's get off."</p><p>"Huh, okay," Aqua said, following Mud off the bus and onto the sidewalk. "Uh, where are we?"</p><p>"Gimme a sec. I'll be right back out," Mud said, stepping away from Aqua and into one of the shops nearby. Aqua looked over the window displays, noticing several different devices ranging from ordinary items like scrolls and televisions to stuff she didn't even recognize. She looked up at the glowing sign above the door.</p><p>"AtlasCore Electronics..." Aqua read. She looked back down to see Mud coming back out the door, holding something in her hand. "What did you - "</p><p>"Here, catch," Mud said, tossing the object in her hand lightly towards Aqua. Aqua fumbled it for a moment before catching it firmly. She looked down to find that the object was a small metal rectangle with a yellow button on it.</p><p>"Is this..." Aqua muttered, pressing the button. The object suddenly expanded outwards, and a screen lit up to show several more buttons on its digital surface. "Is this a scroll?"</p><p>"Yup. You're gonna need one when you get into Beacon," Mud said. "Dunno if they give you one or not, but if they do, it'd probably be some old bargain-bin shit. That there's the latest version from AtlasCore, so take good care of it."</p><p>"T - thank you. I've never used a scroll before, but I'll try my best to make this one last," Aqua said. She tapped on a few of the applications on the screen and, upon opening the "contacts" list, noticed a number had already been entered. "Did you..."</p><p>"That's my number. If you need anything, call me. But remember, if it's a job you want done, I don't work for free," Mud said. She began walking away from the store. "Come on, walk with me. We got one more place to go."</p><p>"Heh. Thanks," Aqua said, following Mud down the sidewalk. "So, where are we going?"</p><p>"You'll see in a moment," Mud said. After walking a few blocks down, Aqua found herself in front of a large, multi-story facility that nearly took up the entire block. From inside, she could hear shouts, metal clanging against metal, and the occasional gunshot. "Welcome to the Vale Combat Center."</p><p>"You mean, people fight here?" Aqua asked. "Is it some sort of gym?"</p><p>"Kinda. It's like a combination of a training gym, an arena, and a recreation center," Mud explained. "You can spar against others, take combat classes, participate in mock combat scenarios, and a lot more. A lot of organizations use this place to conduct combat proficiency tests."</p><p>"By combat proficiency tests, do you mean..."</p><p>"Yup. This is where you'll be taking your entrance exam," Mud said. "Of course, I doubt it'll be just combat. You might have to do a bit of written work. But they're mostly gonna judge you based on your combat ability."</p><p>"I see," Aqua said, looking up at the side of the building. "So this is where it all happens, huh?"</p><p>"Exactly. And they're probably conducting the tests right now," Mud said. "Well, how about it? Think you're ready?"</p><p>"I... I'm ready," Aqua said. "I'm ready to become a Huntress."</p><p>"Well, that's still a long ways off, but I like your enthusiasm," Mud said. She pulled out her scroll, glancing at the screen before putting it away. "Well, I gotta be somewhere soon, so I'll leave you here for now. Next time we see each other, you'll be telling me you got into Beacon, okay?"</p><p>"Got it," Aqua said. Mud nodded before stepping away, walking down the street before turning the corner and leaving Aqua's sight. Aqua stood there for a moment before turning back towards the door of the combat center. She paused, took a deep breath, and stepped through the doors, finding herself in a small lobby with a lady by the front desk.</p><p>"Hello," the lady said as Aqua walked up to the front desk. "Welcome to the Vale Combat Center. What can I help you with today?"</p><p>"Well, I'm here to..." Aqua began to say. She paused for a moment, looking back at the door before turning forward again. "I'm here to take the Beacon entrance exam."</p><p>"I'm going to become a Huntress."</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>And here's chapter 12! Aqua's managed to beat Viola for the first time, and now she's arrived in Vale and is here to take the entrance exam, which is what she's worked for all these past chapters. This is meant to be the closing point of Aqua's arc, though the next chapter will wrap things up before we take the focus off Aqua and explore future journeys.</p><p>How are you liking the story so far? What do you think will happen? If you have any thoughts, please don't hesitate to leave a comment. I'll make sure to reply to anything you say. With that said, thanks for reading and have a nice day!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. Faking It and Making It</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Arc 1: Epilogue</strong>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <strong>Chapter 13: Faking it and Making it</strong>
</p><p>"Next stop is 6th Street. Please make sure you have all your belongings as you exit, and thank you for using the Vale Transit System."</p><p>Mud looked out the window at the streets below as the train began to slow down. Once it rolled to a stop, she pushed her way through the crowded train car, making her way over to the exit and stepping out onto the elevated platform. There wasn't much on the platform; just an automated ticket machine, an attendant checking said tickets, and a large screen against the wall that was tuned into the local news.</p><p>"... and while production may have slowed down due to recent events, company officials have stated that there should be no more disruptions in the supply chain. In other news..."</p><p>Mud made her way to the stairs, the droning of the TV newscaster fading with each step she took. She made her way down the stairs to the street, stepping to the side to avoid people as they walked up and down the sidewalk as she pulled out her scroll.</p><p><em>Let's see... south end of 6th Street, by the intersection,</em> Mud thought, looking at the directions on her scroll. She pocketed her scroll once again before walking down the street, following the directions and making her way to the street corner. There, at the address she had looked up, was a decently large building, though not as large as the Vale Combat Center.</p><p>"Bear's Den, huh? Odd name for a nightclub," Mud muttered, reading the flickering neon sign above the front entrance. There was an armed guard standing by the door, but after Mud approached and showed her ID, he simply waved her in without a word. With that, Mud stepped into the building and was immediately met with a blast of cool air from the building's air conditioning. Walking further inside, she found herself overlooking a large dance floor, with an unoccupied DJ setup hanging on the far side of the room. While there were a few people milling about the dance floor, it was far from crowded, and a good amount of the club's patrons were drinking at a bar on the side of the room.</p><p><em>Guess it'd be more crowded at night,</em> Mud thought, moving over to the bar and taking a vacant stool. The bartender immediately came over to her.</p><p>"What can I get for you?" the bartender asked.</p><p>"I'm looking for someone named Hei Xiong," Mud said, looking around. "I was told that he would be here."</p><p>"You're looking for me?" A voice said from behind Mud. She turned around to see a large, well-built man with a well-trimmed beard and mustache standing behind her. The man took a seat next to Mud. "Glad to meet you, Ms. Stone. Call me Junior."</p><p>"I'm guessing you're the guy who runs the place," Mud said, looking over towards Junior. "I hear you deal with information?"</p><p>"How about we talk about it over a drink? First-time customers get one on the house," Junior said, turning towards the bartender. "Alec, a shot of whisky please."</p><p>"Well, if you say so. Bloody Maria, on the rocks, cut it in half," Mud said. The bartender nodded, moving away to prepare their drinks. "Anyways, you know what goes on in Vale, right? Who goes in and out, that sorta stuff?"</p><p>"I'm not exactly the border police, but I pick up things here and there. For example, I heard a certain mercenary had arrived in the city just earlier today, leading around a girl carrying a spear," Junior said. "Anyone in particular you're looking for?"</p><p>"Just one," Mud said, reaching back and taking a photograph out of her back pocket and showing it to Junior. There were two girls; she pointed at the older one. "Her name's Resina. If I'm correct, she may have come to Vale about four years ago. She'd be about six or seven years older than she is in this picture. It's a long shot, but I was hoping you'd know something."</p><p>"Resina, huh?" Junior muttered, looking at the photograph. The bartender came back with their drinks, and Mud slipped him a small bit of Lien for his tip as she sipped her drink. "Normally I wouldn't have records of some random traveler who passed by four years ago, but it looks like it's your lucky day."</p><p>"So you have something?" Mud asked, her eyes widening. She reached into her pocket, ready to pull out some more money. "How much do you want?"</p><p>"Well, normally I would just ask for a bit of Lien, give you the info you need, and let you be on your way," Junior said, downing his whisky shot. "But as it so happens, I got a job I need done that you'd be perfect for. What do you say? It's inside Vale, and you'll be done by the end of the day."</p><p>"Depends on the job," Mud said, continuing to sip her drink. "I'm listening."</p><p>"Okay, so here's the deal. I've got a friend up north; he does a lot of forgery business. Fake forms, false permits, what have you," Junior explained. "Recently, he got a client who's trying to fake his way into Beacon."</p><p>"And they can't just take the entrance exam? Either they're too weak to actually get in, or they can't show their face in Vale without getting jumped by the police," Mud said. "But what does that have to do with me?"</p><p>"My friend's good at what he does. Whipped up some transcripts for the guy; as far as Beacon's concerned, he graduated from some small primary combat school out near the north end of the continent," Junior said. "Problem is, even if you've graduated from a primary school, Beacon still requires all applicants to take its entrance examination at one of many approved facilities throughout Remnant. Helps them weed out the applicants and make sure everyone who gets in is at least competent, I suppose. If you pass the test, you can get into Beacon."</p><p>"Let me guess," Mud said. "Your guy can't fake those."</p><p>"That's right. Test records are stored and sent securely to Beacon, so even if he could fake a passing test, there'd be no way to get that into Beacon's records," Junior said. "And if there's no record of the client ever passing the entrance exam, they won't get accepted. That's where you come in."</p><p>"So this job of yours..." Mud said. "You want me to go and take the Beacon entrance exam for this guy's client so that they can get into Beacon."</p><p>"Yup, that's about it."</p><p>"And you can't send one of your guys to do it?" Mud said, looking around at the various uniformed men scattered around the club.</p><p>"They're... not the best," Junior said. "Let's just say I'm not confident they'd pass the exam. And the ones that would be able to might be recognized by testers. You, however, just arrived in the city; nobody's gonna suspect anything if you go into the test with another name."</p><p>"I guess that's true," Mud said with a sigh. "So, who've I got to be while I'm in there?"</p><p>"Here you go," Junior said, passing a sheet of paper to Mud. Listed on it was a person's profile; his name, age, ID, a school history that was probably fake, and much more. "Memorize it and take the entrance exam under his name and ID. I'll give you the information you want once you give me confirmation that he's passed the test."</p><p>"Got it. Thanks for the free drink," Mud said, downing the rest of her drink. She stood up and moved towards the exit, reading and memorizing the client's profile on the way out.</p><p>
  <em>Looks like I gotta head back to the combat center...</em>
</p>
<hr/><p>"Hello, and welcome to the Vale Combat Center," the receptionist at the front desk said. "What can I help you with today?"</p><p>"I'm here to take the Beacon entrance exam," Mud said. "This is where we take it, right?"</p><p>"That's correct," the receptionist said, reaching below her desk and taking out a piece of paper and a pen before giving them to Mud. "Please fill out this form. Once you're finished, I'll direct you to the testing area."</p><p>"Got it," Mud said, taking the paper and pen and moving to a chair in the far corner of the lobby. Making sure the receptionist wasn't looking, she took out the information sheet that Junior had given her. <em>Let's see... five years at Lodestar Academy, huh? If this is fake like Junior says, I hope for this guy's sake that Beacon doesn't call up that school...</em></p><p>Mud continued filling out the form, writing in the client's age, address, academic history, and more. She occasionally glanced back at the receptionist, but the receptionist paid her no mind, and was either sorting out files at her desk or helping a new arrival who just walked in. As Mud finished filling out the form, she slipped the client's information sheet back into her pocket before standing up and heading back to the receptionist.</p><p>"Thank you," the receptionist said as Mud handed her the form. She looked it over for a few seconds before typing into a computer at the side of the desk. A printer by the computer spat out a small piece of paper, which the receptionist handed over to Mud. "This is your test ID. Be sure not to lose it."</p><p>"Uh, okay," Mud said, taking the paper. It had the name of the client written on it, as well as a big '72' printed over most of the paper. "Now what?"</p><p>"Head down that way," the receptionist said, pointing to a hall to her right. "The waiting room for the Beacon entrance exam is down that hall, first door on your right. Wait there until you're called."</p><p>"Alright, thanks," Mud said, making her way down the hall and through the door she was told to go through. She found herself in a fairly drab room, with several rigid plastic chairs lining the walls and scattered across the floor. A small television played the local news in the corner of the room, and there was a rack of magazines against one of the walls detailing topics such as the latest in weapons technology, recent events in politics, and more. A few people, mostly teenagers, were scattered about the chairs, including -</p><p>"Mud? What are you doing here?"</p><p>"Oh, hey," Mud said, spotting Aqua at the other end of the room. She walked over and sat down in the chair beside Aqua's before grabbing a weapons magazine from the rack and flipping through it. "You ain't done with your test yet?"</p><p>"I've only done the first part. I'm still waiting to be called for the combat test," Aqua explained. "But forget about that, why are you here? I doubt you suddenly decided to leave the mercenary life and become a Huntress."</p><p>"Well, I could if I wanted to," Mud said, still reading through the magazine. "But nah, I'm working a job. Said job just happened to take me here."</p><p>"What, to the Beacon entrance exam?" Aqua asked. "Why would you need to be here?"</p><p>"Someone wants to get into Beacon. They need it to seem like they passed the entrance exam. I got the skills to pass the entrance exam," Mud explained, looking up at Aqua. "You get it?"</p><p>"You're taking the entrance exam for someone else?" Aqua asked. "Isn't that... cheating?"</p><p>"Hey, if he wants to go get himself killed at Beacon cause he got in without actually being able to pass the entrance exam, I ain't stopping him," Mud said. "Woulda done the same for you if you had enough money, instead of going through all that training stuff."</p><p>"Really? Well, I guess I'm better off having been trained by you than if I paid you to pass the entrance exam for me," Aqua said. "Plus, I dunno if I even have enough money to hire you for that."</p><p>"Eh, you probably don't," Mud said. "So, what's the first part of the entrance exam like?"</p><p>"It was a written test. They gave me a test and I had to write out answers to a bunch of questions," Aqua said. "Dust, Huntsman laws, weapon safety, first aid, all that. To be honest, I kinda struggled on some parts. Like, I know what to do when someone gets a broken leg, but how am I supposed to know where Mistral's CCT tower is? I've never been there!"</p><p>"Well, if it makes you feel better, that probably doesn't matter," Mud said. "They'll be interested in you if they see potential, and you've got that in spades, regardless of whether you know shit like that or not. Besides, I don't think you're supposed to be some all-knowing genius before you even get into Beacon, cause I heard they teach you stuff like history and law like any other school."</p><p>"I guess that makes things not as bad," Aqua said. "Hopefully, I'll do better on the combat portion of the exam."</p><p>"You'll do fine. You landed a hit on me, and you beat Roland one-on-one," Mud said. "If you can do that, you'll be able to pass whatever they throw at you."</p><p>"Are you sure?" Aqua asked. "I still don't feel like - "</p><p>"What're you beating yourself up over? I said you can do it, so you can do it, right?" Mud asked, interrupting Aqua. "Put your chin up and run into that combat test with guns - well, I guess in your case, spear - blazing. Trust me, you'll blow it the fuck up."</p><p>"Uh... I guess that means I'll do well?" Aqua asked. "Thanks for the encouragement. I - "</p><p>"Number seventy-two!" A man with a clipboard at the door shouted. "Applicant number seventy-two!"</p><p>"That's me," Mud said, putting away her magazine before standing up and heading to the door. She turned back towards Aqua for a moment. "But anyways, go and knock them dead. I don't want all the training I gave you to be for nothing."</p><p>"Yeah!" Aqua replied as Mud followed the man who had called her number out of the waiting room and down the hall. Soon, she found herself in what looked something like a classroom, with several desks scattered about the room. While most were unoccupied, there were a few that had teenagers sitting at them, all taking some sort of paper test. An older woman was sitting at the end of the room, watching the test-takers carefully.</p><p>"Take these and go to an empty desk," the man who led Mud said as she handed her a few sheets of paper stapled together, as well as a pencil. "You'll have an hour to complete the written portion of the exam. When you're finished, please turn it in and head back to the waiting room."</p><p>"Sure, one hour. Got it," Mud said, snatching the papers and pencil from the man and sitting herself down at the closest desk. She flipped through the test, counting the questions before looking back at the first question.</p><p>
  <em>Describe the attack pattern of the Boarbatusk, as well as how to properly eliminate one.</em>
</p><p>"Shit, that brings me back," Mud muttered. As she wrote down the answer, her mind wandered back to one particular day, over half a decade in the past...</p>
<hr/><p>
  <em>Mud froze as she saw four red eyes peering at her through the forest, only a dozen meters away. Her hands gripped her pistol tightly enough that her knuckles had gone white, and her arms felt too weak for her to raise them towards the slowly-approaching Boarbatusk.</em>
</p><p>"<em>I thought you said that you wanted to fight? That you wanted to get stronger?" a voice said from the trees. Mud averted her gaze to see her group's leader, Gale Gunmetal, standing far above in the branches. "If you aren't capable of beating this, you'll be nothing more than a burden on the jobs we take, especially with your lack of aura."</em></p><p>"<em>I... I can do this," Mud said, taking a deep breath to calm herself and stop her arms from shaking. By the time she raised her pistol, the Boarbatusk had gone from a slow walk to a full-speed charge. Though Mud was wearing a lightly-armored vest, she had little doubt that the Boarbatusks's large white tusks would be able to pierce right through it and gore her easily.</em></p><p>"<em>Yah!" Mud shouted, diving to the side as the Boarbatusk charged past. She looked back to see it immediately starting to turn around, though with its momentum it took a few moments for it to rotate its body so that it was once again facing Mud. As it began to charge once more, Mud raised her pistol, firing a few shots at it. However, the Boarbatusk was unhindered as the bullets bounced cleanly off the bone plating covering its head.</em></p><p>"<em>Are you forgetting what you've learned? You can't take a Boarbatusk head-on," Gale shouted from the trees. Mud grunted in response as she jumped out of the way of another charge, narrowly avoiding being gored once more. "Or did my wife not even teach you that?"</em></p><p>"<em>Just... just give me a second," Mud grumbled out as the Boarbatusk turned towards her. It charged for the third time, but instead of diving to the side for a third time, she took a nervous but steady step to the side, stepping barely out of the way of the attack as she leveled her pistol towards the Boarbatusks's eyes.</em></p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>Bang! Bang!</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>"<em>Yes!" Mud shouted as the Boarbatusk cried out, veering away. As it turned back towards Mud, she saw that two of its glowing red eyes had been replaced by hollow black holes. She aimed and fired twice more, causing the Boarbatusk to screech once again as she shot out one of its remaining eyes, leaving it nearly blind.</em></p><p>"<em>Don't celebrate just yet," Gale called out as the Boarbatusk let out an angry cry, curling up into a ball. It began rolling towards Mud at a speed she wasn't expecting, and she barely had time to jump out of the way, landing against the dirt as it rolled past her. She looked up to see the Boarbatusk smash through a tree, rolling around before heading towards Mud once more. With no time to push herself onto her feet, she rolled to the side, barely avoiding being crushed by the rolling pile of bone and Grimm flesh. She turned and fired a few more shots at the Boarbatusk as it rolled away, but every bullet bounced off its bone armor.</em></p><p>"<em>Uh... in that case, maybe..." Mud muttered, pushing herself onto her feet as she grabbed at her waist. She reached into a pouch hanging on her waist, grabbing out a yellow grenade. As the Boarbatusk turned and rolled back towards her, she pulled the pin before dropping the grenade and diving towards the side, making sure not to look at the grenade as -</em></p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>BANG!</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>- it exploded, consuming the world in a flash of light as a piercing ring stabbed into her ears. As she recovered from the flashbang, she reloaded her pistol and looked towards the Boarbatusk which had rolled past her. While it was still rolling around at high speeds, its movements had grown erratic and near-random, and it seemed that it had no idea where it was going - or where Mud was. After a few seconds of rolling through dirt and trees, it crashed into a large boulder, causing it to uncurl before laying flat on its back, blinded and dazed.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Now!" Mud shouted to herself, quickly sprinting to the upturned Boarbatusk. Before it could roll back onto its feet, Mud stepped up next to it, pointing her pistol down towards its exposed belly. She pulled the trigger over and over, rapidly dumping over a dozen bullets into its gut. The Boarbatusk screeched once more before going limp, its body dissolving into black smoke before disappearing entirely.</em></p><p>"<em>Huff... huff.."</em></p><p>
  <em>Mud panted hard, leaning up against the boulder the Boarbatusk had crashed into as she reloaded her pistol. She looked up to see Gale jumping down from the trees, walking towards her.</em>
</p><p>"<em>That was..." Gale started, looking around before looking back at Mud. "You handled the Boarbatusk, but if there were any other Grimm in the fight, you likely would have died. You can still do better."</em></p><p>"<em>I..." Mud stopped for a moment. "I know. But I will do better."</em></p><p>"<em>I know you want to," Gale said. "Now, come on. Let's get back to camp."</em></p>
<hr/><p>
  <em>... and so you'll generally want to find some way to expose its unarmored stomach, usually by turning it onto its back in some way.</em>
</p><p>"Alright, one down," Mud muttered. As she finished writing in her answer to the first question, she looked down at the next question.</p><p>
  <em>List three privileges granted by ownership of a Huntsman license.</em>
</p><p>"Eh... fuck," Mud muttered. While she had worked with Huntsmen before, she had never really looked into what a Huntsman license actually allowed one to do. After all, if mercenaries could run around with weapons, shoot Grimm, and take jobs like Huntsmen, what did they actually need their license for? Despite her uncertainty, Mud quickly scrawled out her best guess at an answer before moving onto the third question.</p><p>
  <em>Like I told Aqua, it's probably the combat test that matters anyways...</em>
</p>
<hr/><p>"Oh, you're still here?" Mud said as she walked back into the waiting room.</p><p>"Huh?" Aqua asked, turning as Mud called to her. "Oh, actually, I just finished up with the combat portion of the exam. They said that I'm done, so I just came back to the waiting room to grab my stuff before heading out."</p><p>"Really?" Mud asked, taking a seat next to Aqua. "Well, how'd it go?"</p><p>"It went pretty well, I think," Aqua said. "Definitely a lot better than if I had just come to Vale by myself. I guess I have you to thank for that."</p><p>"Yup. And if you did well there, you'll probably get in, even if you fucked up on the written stuff," Mud said. "Even I made some mistakes here and there."</p><p>"Wow, really?" Aqua asked. "You?"</p><p>"Hey, I'm good. I'm not perfect," Mud said. "So anyways, you said you were heading out? Where to?"</p><p>"Actually, I'm not really sure," Aqua said. "I was thinking I'd explore the city a bit, and then... well, I didn't really plan ahead that far."</p><p>"Well, if you wanna wait in the lobby a bit, we can go together after I finish up my combat exam," Mud said. "I've been in Vale before, so I know a decent bit of the city. Plus, we gotta hook you up with a place to stay, right?"</p><p>"That's true..." Aqua muttered. "So, do you wanna know about the combat exam?"</p><p>"Nah, I think I'll surprise myself," Mud said. "Besides if you did fine on it, I don't think I'll have to worry."</p><p>"I guess that's fair," Aqua said, grabbing her bag and heading towards the door of the waiting room. "Well, I'll be waiting for you in the lobby, then. Good luck, though I don't think you'll need it."</p><p>"Probably not, but thanks," Mud said, watching Aqua leave the waiting room. She reached over to the magazine rack and grabbed the same magazine she had been reading before she had been called for the written test.</p><p>"Number seventy-two!"</p><p>"Already?" Mud asked, putting away her magazine. She stood up and followed the man that had called her down the hall, towards another door, where they stopped. "So, what's the test this time?"</p><p>"You'll be taking the combat portion of the exam. Beyond this door, there is an arena set up with several decommissioned Atlesian Knights. They will be ordered to attack you until you are incapacitated, and you must fend them off," the man explained. "We'll be watching remotely. Please try to avoid excessive damage to the knights, as we have a limited supply, though we will not penalize you for damage to the knights unless it is clear that you are going out of your way to damage them beyond what's necessary. The knights are equipped with non-lethal weaponry, and they are programmed to stop attacking once they take sufficient damage or you are incapacitated."</p><p>"Non-lethal, huh?" Mud muttered. <em>Even if they're using nonlethal weapons, I gotta make sure I don't get hit. They're not gonna want a student who doesn't even have aura.</em></p><p>"Well, if you're ready, proceed through the door," the man said. Mud nodded, making one final check to make sure that her weapons were loaded before stepping through the door to find herself in what seemed to be a medium-sized indoor arena, about a few dozen meters across. However, unlike most arenas that Mud had seen, this one wasn't just a featureless flat space. Instead, many concrete structures including pillars, walls, and blocks had been erected across the arena, obscuring lines of sight and providing potential cover and elevation gain. Mud couldn't see any of the Atlesian Knights, so she assumed they were on the other side of the arena, hidden by the concrete forest.</p><p>"Starting the test in ten seconds," someone said through the arena's speakers. As the voice counted down, Mud grabbed a yellow canister-shaped grenade from her waist. "Three, two, one..."</p><p>"Now," Mud said to herself as a buzzer sounded off and she immediately heard metal footsteps echo through the arena. Quickly honing into the direction where the most footsteps were coming from, she pulled the pin on the grenade before chucking it over a large concrete wall. As she did so, she saw two red-and-black Atlesian Knights step out from behind a concrete pillar. One had blade arms that Mud guessed were blunted, while the other had its arms converted into dual gatling guns. The blade knight charged, while the gun knight began revving up its guns.</p><p>
  <strong>BOOM!</strong>
</p><p>As Mud stepped back, avoiding a blade strike that passed through where her midsection just was, the grenade went off, and Mud heard the robotic screeches of several Atlesian Knights as the electric pulse from her grenade fried their circuits and caused them to cease functioning. By the sounds the knights had made, she guessed that she had taken out at least three of them, though she wasn't able to confirm due to the fact that she was already locked in combat with two more knights.</p><p><em>That gun knight's gonna fire any moment now,</em> Mud thought, keeping an eye locked onto the knight sitting at the back as she dodged around another strike of the blade knight. Sure enough, the gun knight began rapidly firing towards Mud, who ducked past the first few bullets before putting the blade knight between herself and the gun knight, using the blade knight as cover. The gun knight continued to fire, shooting into the blade knight's back. Unfortunately, it seemed to be using rubber bullets, and the impact of the bullets did little more than cause the blade knight to stumble forward. However, that was enough for Mud.</p><p>"Got you," Mud muttered, ducking low and close to the blade knight. Before it could regain its balance from being shot in the back, Mud stuck her pistol underneath its chin, pulling the trigger and blowing a hole through the knight's head. Defeated, the knight began to power down, but Mud grabbed it before it could fall to the floor, holding it up as a shield against the gun knight's bullets as she charged forward. Before she closed the distance, she heard footsteps approaching from the side and turned to see a third knight approaching quickly, its mechanical hands balled into fists.</p><p>"Tch," Mud grunted, kicking the body of the blade knight towards the gun knight and sending both of them toppling to the ground. She raised her pistol to shoot the gun knight before it could recover, but instead had to duck back as the third knight with the fists punched towards her face, narrowly avoiding her chin. Mud turned, stepping to the side to avoid another jab, this time towards her chest. Before the knight could retract its arm, Mud grabbed it, pulling the knight off balance before pushing it towards the gun knight, which was still trying to get back on its feet. The two knights toppled to the ground, and Mud quickly followed through, stepping up to the two knights and putting a bullet through each of their heads before they could get up. The two knights powered down, and Mud immediately swiveled around, looking and listening for any more threats.</p><p>
  <em>Tap. Tap. Tap.</em>
</p><p>Sure enough, Mud heard more footsteps echoing through the arena. <em>Two more,</em> she thought, making her way past the fallen knights and further into the arena. Though the sound bouncing off the concrete structures and the arena's walls made it somewhat difficult for Mud to get the exact direction of the remaining knights, she knew they were quickly approaching due to their metallic footsteps growing louder and louder. She approached the corner of one of the concrete structures, putting her back flat against its surface and hiding from sight as she waited for the footsteps of the knights to get closer and closer. Once the footsteps had gotten loud enough, she suddenly stepped out from behind the structure, raised her pistol, and -</p><p>
  <strong>Bang! Bang!</strong>
</p><p>- watched as the last two knights fell to the ground, a hole through the center of each of their circuit-filled heads. After they lay still, Mud could no longer hear any footsteps other than her own.</p><p>"That concludes the combat assessment. Please exit the arena," a voice said through the arena's speakers. Mud made her way back through the door she had entered from to find the man who had escorted her there waiting on the other side.</p><p>"So, is that it?" Mud asked, holstering her pistol. "Or you got anything else for me?"</p><p>"You've completed the Beacon entrance exam," the man said. "You'll be contacted shortly with your results, but for now, you can head back to the main lobby."</p><p>"Nice," Mud said, making her way back down the hall and into the lobby of the combat center, where Aqua was waiting. As she entered, she saw Aqua sitting down on a nearby couch, messing with the scroll that Mud had bought her earlier that day.</p><p>"Huh, that was quick," Aqua said, looking up as Mud sat down next to her. "You're done already?"</p><p>"What, are you surprised?" Mud asked. "How long did it take you?"</p><p>"Uh... not too long, I guess," Aqua said. "I've never fought robots like that before, but they didn't seem any stronger or smarter than most of the bandits we fought before."</p><p>"Yeah, those things are supposed to be substitutes for foot soldiers, but they kinda fall short in a few places. Plus, they might've been programmed to hold back a bit for testing's sake," Mud said. "Anyways, you said you wanna look around the city? Anyplace in particular you wanted to see?"</p><p>"Um..." Aqua muttered, pocketing her scroll. "Honestly, I've never been to a city this big. I don't even know where you can go or what you can do here."</p><p>"Hm... well, if you've never been to the big city, there's a lot of stuff I can show you," Mud said. "You ever been to a movie theater? Or an arcade? Maybe we could check out the mall, or hop around some of the bars and nightclubs... though I guess it's still a bit early for that."</p><p>"I don't think I've ever been to any of those..." Aqua said. "Or even heard of some of them. What's an arcade?"</p><p>"Oh boy, we got a lot of ground to cover today," Mud said, standing up and heading towards the door. She turned back towards Aqua. "You coming or not?"</p><p>"Huh? Oh, yeah!" Aqua said, standing up and following Mud out the door.</p>
<hr/><p>Mud watched as Aqua froze in the mall's entryway. Her mouth hung open as her eyes scanned over the shops and stalls spread all the way down the building.</p><p>"This place is huge!" Aqua exclaimed. "And there's so many stores... they really put up a building this big for people to shop?"</p><p>"Well, it's not all stores, but yeah, a lot of people come here to buy stuff," Mud said. "Now, are you gonna stand there and block the entrance all day, or you wanna look around?"</p><p>"Uh, right," Aqua said, stepping to the side and out of the mall's entrance. The two began walking down the main hallway of the mall, with Aqua's head swiveling from left to right as she looked at the displays set up in the windows of each store.</p><p>"Huh, they even sell weapons here?" Aqua asked, pointing towards one of the shops to the side. "Wait, why does that place also sell clothes?"</p><p>"What do you mean?" Mud asked, looking to where Aqua was pointing. Sure enough, in the display window was a variety of unique-looking weapons, as well as mannequins wearing various stylish outfits. She looked up at the sign overhead, which read 'Lock 'n Load'. "Oh, they probably sell Huntsman gear to-order. Weapons, equipment, outfits, stuff like that. You might wanna pay it a visit if you get into Beacon."</p><p>"Wait, I thought you didn't want me to get any sort of weird custom weapons," Aqua said.</p><p>"Yeah, and that still stands, but they probably also deal with equipment and outfits, so you should probably see if you can get something that'll allow you to use your semblance easier without having to grab a water Dust crystal every time," Mud explained. "Plus, unless you wanna wear military-grade body armor everywhere like me, you should probably get some clothes that are durable enough to withstand Huntress work. Nothing fancy, though."</p><p>"I guess that's true," Aqua said, turning towards a shop further down the mall. "Wait, is that candy?"</p><p>"Huh?" Mud asked, looking to see a brightly-decorated shop with various sweets plastered to the display window. "You got a sweet tooth or something?"</p><p>"Of course! I've spent most of my life eating fish, bread, and vegetables. Mom and Dad rarely bought any sweets, since stuff like candy was hard to come by in Clearwater," Aqua explained, already dragging Mud into the candy shop. "I've never seen so much in my life! What should I try first..."</p><p>"Well, don't go overboard, since whatever you're buying's coming out of your own pocket," Mud said. "Plus, you don't wanna get sick on sweets."</p><p>"Yeah, yeah, I know, you're not my mom," Aqua said, browsing through the various candies and grabbing nearly everything she came across. Meanwhile, Mud picked out a small chocolate bar from a stand by the entrance. After both of them had paid for their purchases, they headed back out into the mall, eating their candy as they made their way around to the other shops further into the mall.</p>
<hr/><p>"Whoa," Aqua said, mouth agape once again as she followed Mud into the arcade. The flashing lights of the various machines lit up her face as she looked around the facility. "What the heck is all this?"</p><p>"It's the local arcade. There's a bunch of games you can play here, if you're okay with them eating up a bit of your money," Mud explained. "You can get games on your scroll now, so places like this are getting a little less popular, but you can still have fun."</p><p>"I've never seen anything like this... is this what city kids do to entertain themselves?" Aqua asked. She suddenly went off on her own, prompting Mud to follow her. The two of them ended up at an air hockey table, which Aqua was looking over in a confused manner. "What does this machine do? I'm guessing it's also some sort of game?"</p><p>"It's an air hockey table. A puck gets thrown on the field, and we use our paddles to try and knock the puck into the other person's goal," Mud explained, pulling out a coin from her pocket. "How about it? Best three outta five?"</p><p>"You mean, me against you?" Aqua asked. She thought for a moment, then nodded. "Sure, why not? But go easy on me."</p><p>"Eh, I don't think I will. You'll do fine," Mud said, inserting a coin into the machine before moving to one side and taking her paddle. Aqua moved to the other side, doing the same. "You ready?"</p><p>"As I'll ever be," Aqua said as the machine spat an orange puck into the middle of the table. Mud immediately pushed forward, knocking the puck straight past Aqua's paddle and into her goal. "Hey!"</p><p>"What? You said you were ready," Mud said as a concentrated frown came over Aqua's face. A new puck shot onto the table and Mud was yet again the first to reach it, but Aqua drew her paddle back, blocking the puck with it.</p><p>"Ha! Didn't work that time," Aqua said with a grin as the puck drifted back towards Mud's side of the table. Mud feinted a shot straight towards Aqua's goal, causing her to shift her paddle in anticipation, before suddenly banking the puck off the side of the table, slipping it behind Aqua's paddle and into her goal.</p><p>"Oh, come on!"</p><p>"You gotta pay attention. Keep yourself on your toes," Mud said as the machine spat the third puck onto the field. Aqua was the first to act this time, slamming her paddle into the puck and shooting it towards Mud's goal at surprising speeds. Mud blocked the puck, batting it to the side before slamming it back towards Aqua's goal. Aqua caught the shot, and the two proceeded to bounce the puck between each other over and over, neither gaining any sort of advantage.</p><p>"Wow, you catch on quick... let's see if you can defend against this," Mud said as Aqua shot the puck towards Mud's goal. Mud blocked the puck, nudging it forward slightly before suddenly slamming the puck towards the side wall. It bounced twice, once off each wall, before shooting straight for Aqua's goal.</p><p>"Got it!" Aqua exclaimed, narrowly catching the puck before it could slip into her goal. Then, with a shout, she slammed the puck towards the wall, bouncing it off the side of the table and towards Mud's goal so quickly that Mud barely even saw it move. Before she could respond, the puck had already slipped into her goal, earning Aqua her first point. "Woohoo! I got one!"</p><p>"Damn, that was fast," Mud said. "Did you use your aura or something? You never hit it that hard before."</p><p>"Uh... maybe? I just hit it as hard as I could, and I guess I put a little aura into it," Aqua said as the machine spat a fourth puck onto the field. "Should I not do that? Since, well, you can't..."</p><p>"Nah, don't worry about it. Hit as hard as you want," Mud said with a grin. She hit the puck towards Aqua's goal and the two resumed their back-and-forth, hitting the puck towards the opponent over and over in search of an opening to slip the puck into the opposing player's goal. Finally, Mud made a quick shot towards Aqua's goal, hoping to catch her unaware. However, Aqua caught it just in time, slamming it into the back corner next to Mud's goal. Before Mud could move to catch it, it bounced off the back of her paddle and into Mud's goal, scoring Aqua her second point of the match.</p><p>"Yes! Another one!" Aqua exclaimed. "You sure you're not going easy on me?"</p><p>"Nah, though that was a fluke. Won't happen again," Mud said as the machine spit the fifth and final puck onto the table. "It's two to two now. Don't think I'll let you take this last point as easily as the others."</p><p>"Wasn't counting on it," Aqua replied, hitting the puck towards Mud. Mud countered with a shot towards Aqua's corner, bouncing it off the back wall and back to Mud's side before slamming it towards Aqua's goal. Caught off guard by the first bounce, Aqua barely moved her paddle in time to block the shot towards her goal, knocking the puck to the side and bouncing it off the wall. Then, she banked it off the wall towards Mud's goal. Mud blocked the shot and the two continued going back and forth, shooting and blocking with neither letting up an inch.</p><p><em>Huh, she's concentrating pretty hard,</em> Mud thought, taking a moment to look up at Aqua's face. Her brow was furrowed, the muscles on her face pulled tight into a concentrated frown as she continued to defend from Mud's shots and bounce the puck back towards Mud's goal. <em>But if this keeps up, I think I can -</em></p><p>"HIYAH!"</p><p>With a shout, Aqua drew her arm back before slamming her paddle forward at blazing speeds, smashing it into the puck with an audible <em>crack.</em> The puck shot forward faster than Mud could react to, being little more than an orange blur to her eyes. Though Mud's paddle was positioned in front of her goal, the unexpected force behind the puck caused it to knock the paddle out of Mud's hand, sending it sliding away as the puck clattered into Mud's goal.</p><p>Final score, three to two, Aqua's favor.</p><p>"Damn. Can't say I was expecting that," Mud muttered, rubbing the fingers of the hand that had been holding the paddle. "That was some shot. How much aura did you put behind that?"</p><p>"Uh... kinda a lot, I think," Aqua said, panting slightly. "But I won! And my first time, too!"</p><p>"Yeah, yeah, beginner's luck," Mud said. "So, you wanna look around a bit more?"</p><p>"Nah, I think I'm good for now on the arcade," Aqua said. Mud nodded, and the two began to head towards the exit. "So, what else is there to do around here?"</p><p>"Well, we could go to the movies, maybe. There's a park around here, too, if you just wanna relax," Mud said. "And there's also plenty of other shops scattered around the commercial district. Maybe we can just wander around."</p><p>"Eh, I'm fine with any of that," Aqua said. "Let's go."</p>
<hr/><p>One movie, a few shopping trips, and several kilometers of walking later, the sun had started to set, and every establishment in the commercial district began turning on their glowing Dust-lit signs. Though the commercial district's restaurants became quite crowded at this time, the two girls managed to find a seat at a small Mistralian restaurant on the corner of 5th Street.</p><p>"Huh, I've never had anything from Mistral before," Aqua muttered as Mud watched her look over the menu. "I don't even recognize most of these names... I guess this fried rice looks good, though."</p><p>"That's usually a safe choice," Mud said as a waiter came by. The two told the waiter their orders, and he went back to the kitchen, leaving them alone. "So, what's your plan for tonight? Or future nights, for that matter? I'm guessing you don't wanna be bumming out on the streets."</p><p>"Yeah, and I don't really wanna go home now after I came all the way here..." Aqua said. "But then again, it's not like I have anyone to stay with here."</p><p>"Well, maybe if you get into Beacon, they'll let you hang out in the dorms until the school year starts," Mud said. "Or they'll give you a bit of money to stay in a hotel or apartment or something, I dunno."</p><p>"But that won't be for a while, right? It's not like I'll get accepted tonight, even if I get the test results by the end of the day. I have to figure out something," Aqua said. "And that's assuming I get into Beacon..."</p><p>"You know, I'll be staying in a local hotel for tonight before I head out of town," Mud said. "You could room with me for tonight. I could even pay to keep the room for you for the rest of the week; I got the cash for it."</p><p>"Really? You'd do that?" Aqua asked. "Wait, you're leaving tomorrow?"</p><p>"If all goes well, yeah. My job's done once I get the results of the Beacon entrance exam, and they said that they'll be sending it out shortly, so hopefully that means by tonight or tomorrow," Mud said. She felt something vibrate in her pocket and pulled out her scroll, which now had a new message. "Speaking of... lemme take a look at this."</p><p>"What is it?" Aqua asked.</p><p>"It's from VCC... the Vale Combat Center," Mud muttered, reading through the message on her scroll. "Huh, eight outta ten on the written exam, and full score on the combat assessment. They sure graded that fast."</p><p>"That's... that's for the Beacon entrance exam, right?" Aqua asked. "You got your scores already?"</p><p>"Yup. They look pretty good, so if this client's fake transcripts are decent, he's probably got a clear shot at Beacon off my scores," Mud said, putting away her scroll. "This 'Jaune' kid is sure lucky he got me to take the test for him."</p><p>"Jaune?" Aqua asked. "That's the name of the guy you're getting into Beacon?"</p><p>"Yup. I dunno who he is, but he had enough to pay for transcripts and for me to take the test, so he's good in my book," Mud said. "Just make sure you don't end up on his team, assuming he doesn't get himself killed early on."</p><p>"Yeah, it probably wouldn't be a good idea to rely on someone who had to cheat his way into Beacon," Aqua said. A loud beep came from Aqua's pocket. "Huh? What was that?"</p><p>"Your scroll?"</p><p>"Oh, yeah, sorry. Not used to it yet," Aqua said, pulling her scroll out of her pocket. "Maybe I got my scores too."</p><p>"I dunno what else it could be, since the only other person with your number is me," Mud said as Aqua opened the message. "Well, how'd you do?"</p><p>"Wait, this isn't from the combat center. This is from..." Aqua began to say, only to pause as she read through the message. "Oh. Oh. Oh, huh."</p><p>"Huh? What is it?" Mud asked. "Spit it out. You got me interested."</p><p>"It's... it's from some guy named Ozpin," Aqua said. "And it's about my Beacon application..."</p><p>"What? Really? That's the headmaster at Beacon, you know!" Mud exclaimed, standing up and quickly moving behind Aqua's chair, looking over her shoulder down at Aqua's scroll.</p><p>
  <em>Dear Ms. Regia,</em>
</p><p>
  <em>I hope this message finds you well. I understand that you have taken the Beacon entrance examination at the Vale Combat Center earlier today, and thus are applying to become a student at Beacon. We have received your scores from your examination, and while they are impressive, they are not what I wish to talk about with you.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Several days ago, I received a report about an incident in a town known as Palebrook, which I'm sure you're well aware of. From what I have read in the report, it was quite a dire situation, with bandits and Grimm sieging the town and a rogue Huntsman helping said bandits. I also read that a girl from out of town, one by the name of Aqua Regia, helped to resolve the incident, taking down the rogue Huntsman by herself and assisting in fending off other threats to the town. Though I regret to hear that this particular Huntsman had decided to turn his back to the people he swore to protect, you should understand that taking him down is no small feat. Huntsmen are rigorously trained and tested at the four Huntsman Academies to become the best warriors Remnant has to offer, and any licensed Huntsman is likely to have years, even decades of experience and education under their belt. Overcoming that shows to me that you have potential, and the scores we observed on your test today show to me that the Palebrook incident was no fluke.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Therefore, I, as well as Beacon's staff and administration, am pleased to inform you that you have been accepted into Beacon Academy. Though the start of the academic year is still some time away, when it does arrive, you will become one of the many students who will arrive at Beacon to study, train, and develop yourself into humanity's future protectors. We expect great things from you, and we will work with you to help you achieve those expectations.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Should you accept our offer, you shall be placed in Beacon's dorms at the start of the academic year. Until then, should you require assistance, whether it be for finances, education, or housing, please do not hesitate to contact Beacon's administrative office, for we shall do whatever we can to help our future students. I understand that some students, including yourself, have no formal education from any primary combat schools. While Beacon Academy is not open to students at the moment, we offer remedial courses for such students at the Vale Combat Center, where you took the entrance examination.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Best regards, and once again, congratulations on your acceptance into Beacon Academy.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Sincerely,</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Headmaster Ozpin</em>
</p><p>"I... I can't believe it," Aqua muttered. "This is..."</p><p>"Well, congrats. Looks like you made it," Mud said. "Even got the headmaster himself to personally write you an acceptance letter. You don't see that every day."</p><p>"I... woohoo!" Aqua shouted, jumping to her feet as she pumped her fists into the air. "I got into Beacon!"</p><p>"Yeah!" one of the other diners at the restaurant cheered, and several other diners began to clap for Aqua.</p><p>"Uh... sorry for the outburst," Aqua said, sitting back down as her cheeks blushed slightly. She turned towards Mud. "But still, I... I... I'm in! Just like that!"</p><p>"Yeah, well, I can't say I expected you to get in via news report, but hey, it worked," Mud said. "And for what it's worth, even if the headmaster hadn't heard about Palebrook, I think you'd probably still get in."</p><p>"I guess so," Aqua said. "And to think it's all because I met you... if you hadn't come along, fought off those bandits, and, well, forced me to be your student, I don't think I would have gotten this far."</p><p>"Eh, I might've set you on the path, but you're the one who walked it," Mud said. "Honestly, I didn't do too much. Gave you a few pointers here and there, shot you a bit, saved your ass a few times... but all that improvement? Everything you did in Palebrook against the bandits? That was you, not me."</p><p>"I guess that's true," Aqua said. "And speaking of setting me on the path... why did you do it in the first place? After you rescued me from the bandits, you could have just walked away and left me to try for Beacon on your own. So why go through the trouble of bringing me along?"</p><p>"Hm... I guess I could've walked away. Hell, I might've been able to resolve the Palebrook incident on my own. I'd bet good money I could take on Roland and win," Mud said. "But as to why I helped you... I guess you kinda reminded me of, well, me."</p><p>"Huh?" Aqua asked. "What do you mean? No offense, but I don't think I'm like you at all."</p><p>"Trust me, you ain't. But you were. Or rather, I was," Mud said. "Fuck, I think I'm butchering this. Point is, you remind me of me when I was younger. Maybe... about ten years ago?"</p><p>"I reminded you of eight-year-old you?" Aqua asked. "I'm not sure if that's a good thing."</p><p>"Back then, I was naive. Eager, but weak. Wanted to go and become a strong warrior like my mom and my sis, even though I didn't have... well, you know," Mud said. "You remind me of that time. Before everything went to shit. And it was hard for me to leave you like that, you know? Figured I'd give you a bit of a hand."</p><p>"If your goal was to become strong... well, mission accomplished, I think," Aqua said. "Even without aura, I can't think of anyone I've met that's stronger than you."</p><p>"You haven't met many people," Mud said. "And even if I'm strong, that strength hasn't helped me get any closer to my sister. She's still out there, somewhere, still constantly out of my reach after all these years. What use is being strong if I can't get what I want?"</p><p>"I... uh..."</p><p>"Sorry. Shouldn't be dredging up my own shit when we should be celebrating you getting into Beacon," Mud said, a smile coming over her face. "How about we order some champagne or something? Mark the occasion with some alcohol?"</p><p>"I don't think I'm old enough to drink," Aqua said. "And I don't think you are, either. Are you sure you should be drinking?"</p><p>"Eh, it's fine. Don't worry about it," Mud said as the waiter brought over the food they ordered: a plate of fried rice for Aqua, and a bowl of beef noodles for Mud, who turned towards the waiter. "Hey, do you guys have champagne?"</p><p>"We do," the waiter said. "Do you have your ID?"</p><p>"Sure, here you go," Mud said, handing the waiter her ID. The waiter looked over it and nodded before handing it back to Mud and walking to the back of the restaurant.</p><p>"Wait, I thought you were eighteen, right?" Aqua asked through a mouthful of fried rice. "My mom told me I had to be twenty-one before I could drink. Isn't that the law?"</p><p>"Yeah, well, I'm twenty-one on my ID. Like I said, don't worry about it," Mud said as she started to dig into her noodles. "Anyways, if you don't wanna drink, you should at least order some dessert. You like sweet things, right? Treat yourself a bit. Tonight's on me."</p><p>"Well, if you say so," Aqua said, grabbing the menu as the waiter came back with Mud's champagne. "Can I get the, uh... chocolate cheesecake?"</p><p>"Certainly," the waiter said, setting down Mud's drink before leaving once again.</p><p>"See, there you go," Mud said, taking a sip of her champagne. "So, I'm guessing you're gonna take that offer? About the housing stuff that the headmaster mentioned in the letter?"</p><p>"I probably will," Aqua said. "It'll solve the issue with finding a place to stay, and those remedial courses will hopefully give me something to do until Beacon's school year actually starts."</p><p>"Yeah, that sounds like a plan," Mud said. "You can crash with me tonight, and after I leave tomorrow you can get something organized with those guys up at Beacon. I can extend my hotel reservation a few days for you if you want, but hopefully you won't need that."</p><p>"Hopefully," Aqua repeated. "So, what's school like? Clearwater didn't have any schools, so Mom and Dad taught me pretty much everything. I've never actually been to a school before."</p><p>"Hey, ditto," Mud said. "Can't really help you there. That's something you'll have to figure out on your own."</p><p>"Darn," Aqua said. "So who taught you all the stuff you know?"</p><p>"Well, my mom wasn't around much early on, so it was my sister," Mud said. "Then, after we were separated, I bounced around a decent few mercenary groups. The Gunmetals were probably the ones I spent the most time with. They taught me a lot of what I know."</p><p>"Brought up by mercenaries. I can see that," Aqua said. "So, what was it like?"</p><p>"It was pretty harsh, for one," Mud said. "Wake up at six, run exercises until nine, cook breakfast, and then either more drills or mercenary work..."</p><p>Mud continued telling Aqua about her experiences over the years, from her time with her sister to her experiences wandering Remnant as a mercenary. Aqua also told of her time in Clearwater, the Grimm she fought, the few friends she made among the local youth, and more. Eventually, after finishing their meals, as well as Mud's champagne and Aqua's cheesecake, they left the restaurant, heading back to the local hotel to call it a night.</p>
<hr/><p>"If it's a nightclub, why's it open in the morning?" Aqua asked. After a good night's sleep at the hotel, the two girls made their way in front of the Bear's Den the next morning. "And what do you have to do here, anyways?"</p><p>"This is where I got the job to take the entrance exam, so I gotta go get my payment. That's why they keep it open all the time; it's not just for drinking and dancing," Mud explained. "Anyways, you should probably stay out here. Pretty sure you're not old enough to be allowed in yet."</p><p>"Me? What about - oh, right," Aqua said. "Fake ID. Got it."</p><p>"Don't worry, I won't take too long," Mud said. She stepped up to the guard by the door and flashed her ID, but instead of waving her in like last time, the guard held up his hand, blocking Mud. "Hey, what gives?"</p><p>"Sorry, but the club is closed right now," the guard said. "We had somewhat of an incident last night, and we need to clean up before we can open again."</p><p>"Look, I ain't here to go clubbing," Mud said. "I got business with Junior. Is he in?"</p><p>"If it's business, I'll give him a heads-up," the guard said, pulling out a scroll. He dialed a number before turning away and speaking for a bit, then hanging up. "Alright, you're clear to go in."</p><p>"Thanks," Mud said, stepping past the guard and into the club. Only this time, instead of young men and women partying on the dance floor and drinking at the bar, she saw nightclub employees fixing up broken parts of the floor, sweeping away shards of glass, and replacing shattered windows. Several of the glass pillars that lined the dance floor had been smashed through, and the elevated DJ setup on the other side of the room had crumpled inwards. Mud saw Junior sitting at the bar with a bandage wrapped around his head and went down to meet him.</p><p>"Nice to see you, Ms. Stone," Junior said as Mud sat down beside him. "I'm guessing you're here about the job I gave you? Given what's happened to the club, I would appreciate some good news."</p><p>"Yeah, I got the job done. Got the scores right here, in my scroll. If you want, I can forward them to you," Mud said, showing Junior the message she got on her scroll. "Now it's all on your transcript-forging friend to make sure this Jaune guy's past looks good enough to get into Beacon."</p><p>"Don't worry, he's good," Junior said. "Though I'll give you your payment, whether he actually gets in or not."</p><p>"Of course. I did what you asked, after all," Mud said, looking around the club. "But fuck, what the hell happened around here? Looks like a tornado went through."</p><p>"I guess you could say that. Someone came in last night looking for some info, and she was rather... belligerent," Junior said. "Beat up all my guys, and then me. Even took out the twins."</p><p>"The twins?"</p><p>"Over there," Junior said, pointing towards the corner of the club. Mud turned to see two girls in white and red dresses sitting at a faraway table. "They might look like they're here for the looks, but they're the best muscle on my payroll. Still weren't enough, though. That girl just punched through us like a wrecking ball through a window."</p><p>"Well, sounds like you need to get better security," Mud said.</p><p>"Maybe I do," Junior chuckled. "Are you applying?"</p><p>"You wish," Mud said with a grin. "But anyways, you said you'd give me the information I wanted if I completed this job. Job's completed, so..."</p><p>"Yeah, yeah, I've got it," Junior said, pulling a stack of Lien out of his pocket and handing it to Mud. "Here's your pay for the job. I kept a bit for myself; that'll be the fee for the information you wanted."</p><p>"Sure thing," Mud said, pocketing the money. "So, about that? You said you had information on one Resina Stone."</p><p>"That I do," Junior said. "She came to Vale about four years ago... I think it was in the late summer of that year. In fact, she came to this very club."</p><p>"Really? Huh," Mud said. "I didn't know she was the drinking type. Or the partying type."</p><p>"Oh, believe me, she was," Junior said. "But the main reason she came here was to ask about information, like you."</p><p>"She did?" Mud asked. "What did she ask about?"</p><p>"She asked me for two things," Junior said. "The first was, she wanted to know any information I had about a particular girl. One by the name of Mud Stone."</p><p>"She was asking about me..." Mud muttered.</p><p>"Unfortunately, at the time I had no information about you. My information network only goes through Vale and the surrounding area, and don't know where you were at that time, but it wasn't around here," Junior said. "The second thing she asked for... she wanted to meet with someone who knew a lot about aura and the soul."</p><p>"Huh?" Mud asked. "Why?"</p><p>"I don't know. I refrain from asking customers any details they don't want to share on their own," Junior said. "But for some reason, she needed someone who knew the properties of aura and the soul very well. I didn't know anyone around here that fit, but..."</p><p>"But? But what?"</p><p>"Like I said, nobody around here fits that description, but there is one person I heard about," Junior said. "He goes by the name of Ivan Koschei. At the time, he was working with a company called Green Ocean Bioinformatics up in Atlas. I haven't heard anything about him since, but Resina seemed interested, considering she went up the north exit of Vale towards Atlas the next day."</p><p>"Ivan Koschei, huh?" Mud asked. "And Atlas... looks like that's my next stop."</p><p>"I see. I won't pry into your reasons, but if you're looking for this woman... well, the information I gave you is already several years old," Junior said. "I wouldn't count on finding her in Atlas."</p><p>"Don't worry, just following her trail is enough for me right now," Mud said, standing up from the bar. "Thanks for the help."</p><p>"I should be thanking you for taking care of that job for me," Junior said. "Good luck, and travel safely. I wouldn't want to lose a potential repeat customer."</p><p>"Yeah, yeah, don't worry about it," Mud said, heading towards the exit. As she left the club, she spotted Aqua waiting on a nearby bench, looking down at her scroll. "Hey, what's up?"</p><p>"Oh, you're done?" Aqua said, looking up. "I was just replying to the message the headmaster sent me last night, asking if Beacon could arrange some place for me to stay until the academic year starts up."</p><p>"That's good. Hopefully that'll go through quick, but if you need a place to stay for tonight, let me know so I can extend the hotel reservation," Mud said. "Anyways, I've got what I needed here. I'm gonna head out."</p><p>"Head out?" Aqua asked. "To where?"</p><p>"The north exit of the city. Towards Atlas, apparently," Mud said. "Four years ago, that's where my sister was going. That's a lot of time, but it's the best lead I have."</p><p>"I see," Aqua said. "How about I walk with you to the exit? If you're going to Atlas, this'll be the last time we see each other in a while... or ever, maybe."</p><p>"Well, I was actually planning on taking the bus. I don't know if you've figured it out yet, but it takes forever to walk anywhere in a city this big," Mud said. "But yeah, you can come with me."</p><p>"Alright," Aqua said as the two began walking to the nearest bus stop. "Let's go."</p>
<hr/><p>"Next stop is Vale's north-eastern gate. Please make sure you have all your belongings as you exit the vehicle, and thank you for choosing to ride with Vale's Transit System..."</p><p>Mud and Aqua stepped out of the bus and onto the asphalt lot next to the gate leading out of the city. A large number of people were lingering around the gate: traders making their trips through the kingdom, tourists visiting the city, workers heading in and out to their jobs, and more.</p><p>"So, why aren't you taking a ship to Atlas? Or an airship?" Aqua asked. "That'll probably be faster than walking halfway across the continent to the northern shore and boating from there."</p><p>"Costs a decent bit for a trip all the way from Vale to Atlas," Mud said, adjusting her backpack as she made sure she had everything she needed. "Plus, it's not like I'm in a rush. My sister's got a four year head-start on me, so what's a few more weeks?Might give me an opportunity to pick up some contracts along the way, make a bit of money."</p><p>"So, money's the reason? I guess if you put it that way..." Aqua muttered. She looked over towards the gate, which marked the border of the city of Vale, before looking back at Mud. "So this is it, huh?"</p><p>"Seems like it," Mud said. "I might drop by once in a while, but don't count on it."</p><p>"I see," Aqua said. "I know I already thanked you before, but... thanks for traveling with me and helping me get this far. I wouldn't have gotten nearly this far without you."</p><p>"Don't mention it. For what it's worth, it was pretty fun traveling with you, so thanks for that," Mud said. She extended a hand out towards Aqua. "Go and become the best damn Huntress in Vale, alright?"</p><p>"Only if you go and find your sister," Aqua replied, taking Mud's hand and shaking it. "And bring her back to Vale for me. I'd like to talk with her again."</p><p>"It's a promise," Mud said. The two stood there for a few more moments before letting go of each other. Then, Mud turned towards the gate. "Well, as much as I hate to say goodbye, I gotta leave at some point, so... see ya 'round, I guess."</p><p>"Goodbye," Aqua said as Mud began walking towards the gate, stepping further and further away from her. Though she had already made her way quite a bit from Aqua, she could still hear her shouting at her back. "And good luck! Thank you for everything!"</p><p>Mud smiled as she passed through the gate, stepping out onto the road leading away from Vale. She stopped for a moment, looking up at the near-cloudless blue sky.</p><p><em>Good kid... she's gonna go far,</em> Mud thought as she began down the road again, making her way towards the northern tip of Vale, towards Atlas... and towards where her sister had once gone.</p>
<hr/><p>
  <strong>Journey of a Student</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Arc 1: End</strong>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>And here's chapter 13, as well as the final chapter of the first arc! Aqua's headed to Beacon, while Mud's going off towards Atlas to look for her sister. Will she find anything? If so, what? Those questions will be answered in the future... but for now, Aqua's part of the story has drawn to a close. How did you like Aqua's arc of the story? What did you think? Please don't hesitate to leave a comment down below to let me know, as well as any other feedback, comments, and/or criticisms you may have.</p><p>Also, I have an IMPORTANT question. Basically, while I started this story in June, I had actually started writing this story back in January, and I had all the chapters done by the time I first posted the story. The thing is, I haven't yet started writing the second arc of the story, though I have it mostly planned out. Would you rather that I pre-write the second arc and post it like I did the first arc (which would mean a long delay followed by regular updates) or would you rather that I just post chapters as they're finished (which would mean more infrequent, inconsistently-scheduled updates)? Please let me know.</p><p>Anyways, thanks to Penrost once again for proofreading the story and providing feedback, and thank you all for reading the story. Have a nice day!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0014"><h2>14. Hey, You, You're Finally Awake</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"<em>So, is everything ready?"</em></p>
<p>"<em>I've run all the final checks. Everything seems to be in order... though in this case, we can never be too safe. I'll run through the safety checklist once again..."</em></p>
<p>"<em>You've run through the safety checklist twice already, Father. If you keep going through it, we will be here all night."</em></p>
<p>"<em>You're right... I guess you're right."</em></p>
<p>
  <em>Pushing her walker towards the mess of machinery in the middle of the room, the girl looks to the right to see the product of years of work from herself, her father, and many friends and acquaintances. It's a marvel of engineering, something she would have never thought possible had she not been involved in the process of its creation.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>To the left, she sees a large metal pod, its glass door open and its interior empty and waiting.</em>
</p>
<p>"<em>I suppose this is it, then," the girl says as she pushes her walker to the side and climbs into the pod. "If things don't go as planned, I just want you to know - "</em></p>
<p>"<em>Things will be fine."</em></p>
<p>"<em>Maybe so," the girl says. "But if they don't... I'm sorry. For - "</em></p>
<p>
  <em>The girl's words are cut off by mechanical hissing as the pod door closes on top of her, cutting her off from the world. The machines around the room begin to whir, gauges start to glow and rise, and the lights above begin to flicker.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>A bright flash illuminates the room. Then, nothing.</em>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <strong>Arc 2</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>Journey of an Extra</strong>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <strong>Chapter 14: Hey You, You're Finally Awake</strong>
</p>
<p>The first thing she perceived was nothingness. No, she did not perceive anything. She could not perceive, for she had nothing to perceive with. There was only her mind drifting through an empty void, with only her thoughts to hold herself company.</p>
<p>
  <em>Where am I?</em>
</p>
<p>She could not remember how long she had been awake in this state. Was she even awake? Or was this a dream? And if so, how long had she been dreaming? Without any point of reference but her own mind, time seemed meaningless.</p>
<p>
  <em>Who am I?</em>
</p>
<p>Flashes of memory shot out from the void, flickering over her mind's eye before fading away like water into dry sand. She caught brief glimpses. A man working at a desk. A bedroom window. A woman's smile. Heat.</p>
<p>Any name that she might have been able to call her own eluded her.</p>
<p>"Initializing..."</p>
<p>
  <em>Huh?</em>
</p>
<p>"Presence of aura detected. Commencing startup sequence..."</p>
<p>
  <em>Who's there?</em>
</p>
<p>"Error. DustCore power unresponsive. Rebooting..."</p>
<p>
  <em>What's happening? Who are you?</em>
</p>
<p>"DustCore offline. Routing emergency power to essential systems. Commencing activation of sensory functions..."</p>
<p>Suddenly the void disappeared, and her senses rushed back to her. Though she suddenly had gained her sense of sight, it didn't help much, as her vision showed only pitch black. She seemed to be lying down on what felt like a hard metal surface, and while she could feel her body beneath her, nothing happened when she tried to move her limbs, making it impossible for her to feel around the area and push herself up. However, the most interesting feedback from her senses came not from sight or touch, but from her hearing.</p>
<p>
  <strong>Bang! Bang!</strong>
</p>
<p>"Shit... well, one more should do it."</p>
<p>
  <strong>Crack!</strong>
</p>
<p>"<em><strong>Skreeeee!"</strong></em></p>
<p>Though the sounds were muffled, as if heard in the next room over, she could clearly make out the sounds of battle. Gunshots and explosions rang out, accompanied by a rough female voice occasionally swearing and inhuman screeches of unknown creatures. Additionally, underneath the cacophony of combat, she heard the slight crashing of waves breaking. <em>Is that the ocean? Am I perhaps on a beach or something?</em></p>
<p>"And there we go!" the female voice shouted as one last explosion rang out, followed by silence. No more bullets were shot, and whatever was causing the sounds of combat seemed to have been finished. "Doesn't look like there's any more of them. Now to see what the fuck this thing is... I could've sworn it made some noises when I hit it."</p>
<p><em>Who's that? Why can't I move? </em>She thought, trying and failing to move her body. A metallic thumping came from above her. It was surprisingly close, and the thumps repeated, growing louder and louder. <em>Am I in some sort of container? Is that the voice thumping against it? What's going on?</em></p>
<p>"Huh... maybe there's a button or switch somewhere?" the female voice said. The thumping above her stopped, and she heard footsteps circling around her. A metallic tap or thump rang out occasionally, and once or twice she felt the container jostle slightly. "Fuck, that's heavy. Definitely can't drag this back to town... hey what's this?"</p>
<p>She heard a beep, followed by the sounds of whirring gears and mechanical shifting. Suddenly, a crack of light appeared in the darkness, quickly growing wider and brighter by the moment. She would have looked away to prevent the light from blinding her, but she found that she could not turn her head... or even close her eyes. However, even as the dark void gave way to a bright blue sky and the blazing sun, the intense light oddly did not give her any trouble, and her eyes were able to adjust quickly.</p>
<p>"Now, to see what's inside..." the female voice muttered as a figure came into view, leaning over the side of the container and looking down at her. It was a teenage girl, dressed in what seemed to be an armored brown jacket and pants, as well as a brown helmet. Many tools and pouches were attached to her belt, and she was holding a pistol in one hand. Though it wasn't clearly visible from this angle, she saw what looked like a backpack slung over her back, as well as the head of a rifle poking out. "The hell's this? Some sort of Atlesian Knight? Ain't look like any I've seen..."</p>
<p><em>Hello?</em> She tried to say, only for her voice to ring out in her thoughts without actually saying anything. She tried to move, but her body lay unresponsive beneath her. She tried to take in a breath and attempt to speak again, only for her to realize that she was unable to breathe.</p>
<p>She panicked. She attempted to thrash out, only for her body to remain unresponsive. Her attempts to draw breath were once again unsuccessful, and she realized that she had not been breathing the entire time she had been awake.</p>
<p>"Doesn't seem to be working, but it's in pretty good condition," the armored girl said, oblivious to her current predicament - or even her existence. "Maybe I could drag it back to town, get it appraised, maybe get a decent bit off scrap..."</p>
<p><em>Help!</em> She cried out in her mind, but the figure above her wasn't able to hear her panicked thoughts. <em>I can't - someone, please -</em></p>
<p>"Reboot complete. DustCore online. Rerouting power..."</p>
<p>Suddenly, she felt her body jolt underneath her, only now responding to her brain's commands. She immediately sat up, causing the girl leaning over her to jump back, drawing her pistol from her belt and pointing it directly at her.</p>
<p>"Stop!" she said, raising her hands and turning away as the girl kept her pistol leveled at her. She tried to draw breath once more, only to find that she still could not do so, even after she had opened her mouth to talk. However, strangely enough, she didn't feel the need to breathe at all. "Wh - where am I?"</p>
<p>"Huh?" the girl asked, lowering her pistol. Her mouth curled into a confused frown, her head cocked inquisitively to the side as she stepped closer. "You can talk? What the hell are you?"</p>
<p>"What... what do you mean?" She asked. She realized that she hadn't even needed to draw breath to talk; the words just seemed to come out of her mouth. "What are you talking about?"</p>
<p>"I'm talking about you," the girl said, pointing up and down her body. "Look at yourself. You sure ain't a Knight or something, so what on Remnant are you?"</p>
<p>"Huh?" she asked, looking down at her body. She gasped; where she had expected a human body, she only found sleek metal and mechanical joints, all colored a light gray. Though her figure was proportioned in a way similar to the human body, the unnatural coloring of her body and its sleek metal texture, along with several plates of white armor that were attached tightly to her body in various areas, most notably her chest, waist, and shins, made it undeniably artificial. "What... I don't... what am I?"</p>
<p>"You mean you don't know either? I guess you should see for yourself," the girl said, reaching into her pocket and grabbing a scroll. The girl turned on the scroll's camera function before turning the screen towards her, allowing her to use the scroll as a makeshift mirror.</p>
<p>"What... this is..." she muttered, peering at herself through the screen. Though her face resembled that of a human, it was formed the same gray, metallic material that made up her body. Her lips opened and closed, but no air passed through them, and her eyes were a solid gray that matched her face, with no pupils or iris to mark them as human. A sleek covering of white armor went over the top, back, and side of her head, resembling a head of smooth white hair. She brought up a metallic hand and hit it against her chin, and while she felt the impact as though it were her own flesh, a metallic <em>ding</em> confirmed that it was indeed anything but. "Am I... am I a robot?"</p>
<p>"Hey, you tell me. Are you surprised or something? Cause I kinda found you like this," the girl said. "Were you human before or something? You got a name?"</p>
<p>"I... I think I was human. I think I'd remember being a robot... though I don't really remember anything at all," she said. She tried to remember a name, combing her mind for anything from her past that would give her an idea of who she was. Then -</p>
<p>"<em>Hey, Pearl? How long will it be until you've finished attaching the armor? The body looks quite naked without it."</em></p>
<p>"<em>It should be about an hour or so, Father. I merely need to make some adjustments to the chestpiece."</em></p>
<p>"Pearl," she muttered. "I think my name was... Pearl. Sorry, I don't remember any more than that..."</p>
<p>"Pearl, huh? Sounds kinda fitting, considering I found you in some big metal clamshell," the girl said. Pearl looked around herself to see that indeed, she was sitting in some sort of large metal case, which was lying on the sands of a beach. "Call me Mud."</p>
<p>"Uh, hi Mud," Pearl said. "Anyways... where are we? Sorry, I don't really know where this is..."</p>
<p>"Well, we're on a beach a little to the west of Pike's Landing," Mud said. "You know where that is?"</p>
<p>"Uh..." Pearl thought for a moment. "Not really. Sorry."</p>
<p>"No need to apologize. It's a small peninsula off the Northwest coast of Vale," Mud said. "You know where Vale is, right?"</p>
<p>"Yeah, it's..." Pearl began to say. She knew about Remnant and its kingdoms, though she could not remember when or how she had learned of them. "I know where it is, I think."</p>
<p>"Good," Mud said. She leaned in closer, looking over Pearl's body. "So... you don't know what you are? I mean, you look like a robot, but you say you aren't one, so..."</p>
<p>"Sorry, I don't really know," Pearl said. "I... I'm as surprised as you are. How did you find me, anyways?"</p>
<p>"Eh, I just kinda stumbled across your casket here while doing some mercenary work," Mud said. "I got a job from someone at Pike's Landing to clear out some Karkinoses on this beach. You know what a Karkinos is?"</p>
<p>"Uh..."</p>
<p>"Amphibious Grimm. Kinda large. Looks like a crab. Pincers strong as fuck," Mud explained. "Anyways, I come over here, bust open a few shells, and then I see this pod on the beach. After clearing out all the Grimm, I open it up, and here we are now."</p>
<p>"I see..." Pearl muttered. She looked around in silence before looking down at her body. Her lack of ability to breathe made her uncomfortable, though now it made sense. After all, robots didn't need oxygen to survive.</p>
<p>"So, what are you planning to do?" Mud asked.</p>
<p>"Huh?"</p>
<p>"I mean, you can't just stick around on this beach forever. Well, maybe you can. I dunno if your robot body needs food or fuel or anything," Mud said. "You got no memories, no destination, no place to go. So what are you gonna do?"</p>
<p>"I..." Pearl started to say. "I don't know."</p>
<p>"Figures," Mud muttered. She looked down the beach before turning back towards Pearl. "Wanna come with me?"</p>
<p>"With you?" Pearl asked. "To where?"</p>
<p>"Well, I'm headed back to Pike's Landing to pick up payment for the job. After that, I'll be making my way up to the north end of the kingdom and catching a boat up to Atlas," Mud explained. "I dunno where you want to go, but you can travel up that way with me if you want. To be honest, I'm a little curious as to whatever the hell you are and how you got here."</p>
<p>"Up north..." Pearl muttered. In truth, she had no idea where she wanted to go. Like Mud had said, she had nothing. No past to guide her, no goal to push for, no destination to reach towards. All she had was her strange robotic body and this girl who had invited Pearl to travel with her. Though Mud spoke roughly, she seemed nice and looked as if she knew how to handle herself.</p>
<p>What did she have to lose?</p>
<p>"I think I'll go with you," Pearl said, pushing herself onto her feet. At full height, her robotic body stood slightly shorter than Mud, with her forehead reaching up to the height of Mud's chin. "So, uh... which way are we going?"</p>
<p>"Come on, follow me," Mud said, turning and stepping off away from the ocean. Pearl quickly followed her, and the two made their way off the sand, leaving the ocean, the beach, and the steel coffin behind.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>After a little more than a month, I'm back to give you the start of arc 2! This time, our journey focuses on Pearl, a strange robot girl that Mud finds alone on the beach. Where did she come from? What happened to her? Where will she go from here? Stay tuned for all that, and more!</p>
<p>After thinking about it for some time, I've decided to post more infrequent updates rather than writing the entire arc before posting. At the moment, I've written three chapters of the second arc, including this one, so I'll likely be posting one chapter behind what I've written in the future. That means more infrequent updates than before, which I'm hoping you're fine with. </p>
<p>Regarding Aqua, while she's not the focus of the story anymore, the previous chapter isn't the last you'll see of her. Also, a reviewer on FF.net gave me the idea to make some sort of omake/intermission/side story chapter about what Aqua's doing while in Vale, so you might see something like that in the future.</p>
<p>If you enjoyed the chapter and/or want to leave feedback or suggestions or anything at all, please don't hesitate to drop a comment down below. I make sure to reply to everything, whether in public or private. With that said, thanks to everyone who's read up to here, and have a nice day!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0015"><h2>15. Everyone, Get In Here!</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 15: Everyone, Get In Here!</strong>
</p><p>"You don't remember anything?" Mud asked as the two walked down the road. A small town was visible in the distance which Pearl assumed was Pike's Landing, the place Mud had mentioned. Though she had no past experiences to tell her why, for some reason, just the act of walking that distance seemed unfamiliar. However, her strange body seemed well-suited for such a task, as she felt no strain or stress in her legs as she walked alongside Mud. "You're sure? Just your name?"</p><p>"Sorry... I can't really remember anything," Pearl said. She strained her mind, trying to recall anything at all, but the only memory she seemed to have was that brief conversation with someone she had called her father. The conversation in which she first heard her name. "I remember being called Pearl... but nothing other than that."</p><p>"Eh, well, it's something," Mud said. She rapped her knuckles lightly against Pearl's shoulder, causing a metallic <em>tink</em> with every hit. "And you're sure you're not a robot? On the inside, I mean? Cause you sure look like one."</p><p>"I... I don't <em>feel</em> like a robot," Pearl said. She remembered back to her attempts to draw air into nonexistent lungs, and her surprise at her metallic body. "It's... sorry, I'm having a hard time describing the feeling. But even though I don't remember anything about who I was, I still feel like I'm supposed to be human."</p><p>"Well, if you are a robot, you're a hell of a lot more advanced than anything I've seen," Mud said. "I've seen the Knights that Atlas's military puts out and those robot assistants and butlers that rich people buy, but those don't really have a personality or anything. They just walk around and do stuff. And not very well, either."</p><p>"I suppose that's because for a long time, Atlas's military has been focusing on researching and developing automated defense systems that can defend citizens and settlements in the absence of soldiers or Huntsmen. That's why their robotics technology is so advanced compared to the rest of the kingdoms," Pearl said suddenly, as though reciting a script. "However, as most of Atlas's investments regarding automated machines and robots went into military and defense applications such as combat droids, autonomous mecha-suits, and defense turrets, more general AI development was not a priority. It was only recently that Atlas and its private contractors began investing in applications of artificial intelligence beyond simple defense, and - "</p><p>"Wait, hold on, stop," Mud said, interrupting Pearl. Once Pearl stopped talking, she took a breath out of instinct, only to remember that she could not do so. "For a robot... girl... thing who's lost her memories, you sure seem to know a lot about this specific subject.</p><p>"Sorry, I... I'm not sure what made me go on like that," Pearl said. "I don't know why, it's just... for some reason, I knew all of that. Probably from sometime before I lost my memories..."</p><p>"Maybe you're from Atlas?" Mud asked. "Seems kinda fitting that you know about what's going on with Atlas's robot and AI tech, given that you're some sort of robot. Doubt that's a coincidence."</p><p>"I guess it would be pretty weird if it was," Pearl said. "I'm not sure if I'm from Atlas, but... maybe this body is from there?"</p><p>"Yeah, that's definitely a possibility," Mud said. She began circling around Pearl, inspecting parts of her body. Pearl stepped away apprehensively for a moment before letting Mud look over her. "I'm not a techie or anything, but this body seems pretty high-end. Definitely put together better than those Atlesian Knights. Don't see any obvious weapons, but maybe you got some built-in?"</p><p>"Sorry, I..." Pearl paused for a moment, stretching out her arms and inspecting her hands. "If there are weapons in this body, I don't know how to activate them. And even if I could, I don't think I know how to fight..."</p><p>"Hey, no need to apologize. If we get into a tussle, I've got enough firepower for both of us," Mud said. "But who knows, maybe you're good in a fight and you just don't know it. Depending on what's powering that body of yours, you might be a lot stronger than you think."</p><p>"Even if I am, I don't think I'd know how to use that strength," Pearl said. "I'm not sure if I even know how to throw a punch..."</p><p>"Huh. Well, if we have time, I can teach you," Mud said. "Though I've already been doing a decent amount of teaching lately..."</p><p>"Sorry, but I think I'd rather not fight..."</p><p>"Fair enough. Ain't saying you have to," Mud said. "But if we do get in a fight, try to stay out of the way. I dunno how durable or repairable that body of yours is."</p><p>"I... I'll try," Pearl said. She looked up to see that they were nearing the wall bordering the edge of Pike's Landing. It was quite tall, several times taller than Pearl, and had two guard towers posted by the entrance along with two more guards standing on the ground by the gate. "Oh, we're finally here."</p><p>"Hold up a bit," Mud said, putting a hand on Pearl's shoulder. "We should probably get our story straight before we head in."</p><p>"What do you mean?" Pearl asked. "Have you done something illegal?"</p><p>"What? No. Well, nothing these guys should know about," Mud said. "But a robot walking and talking like a regular human girl? Technology ain't that advanced yet, as far as I know. A lotta thieves, scrappers, thugs, and opportunists in general call Pike's Landing home, and they'll try to nab and sell you on the black market without a second thought if they see something like you walking around."</p><p>"I... I get it. Sorry," Pearl said. "Maybe you can give me something to wear? So that I can cover myself up and look... well, normal?"</p><p>"That's an idea. If you look like any other kid just walking around, nobody's gonna give a shit. Gimme a minute," Mud said. She took off her backpack and set it on the ground before rummaging through it. After about half a minute of inaudible muttering and taking out various items ranging from ammunition to tools to socks and stuffing them back in, Pearl saw Mud pull out what looked like a large brown sheet of cloth. "Here we go!"</p><p>"What is it?" Pearl asked. She yelped as Mud suddenly tossed it at her, causing it to expand and drape over her body. After fighting with the cloth for a few seconds, she finally managed to pull it off herself, bundling it up in her arms before holding it out. "Is this... a cloak or something?"</p><p>"Yeah, it's a light cloak. Keeps the sun off my back whenever I'm in Vacuo," Mud explained, tossing a smaller length of cloth at Pearl. "Also, wrap your face with that. Even with that cloak, your face still looks like a robot."</p><p>"Uh... okay..." Pearl said, wrapping the cloth around the lower half of her face and leaving her eyes exposed so that she could see. After that, she draped the cloak over her body and pulled the hood up over her head, letting the cloak settle over her shoulders. "Does this look good?"</p><p>"Lemme see... yup, you seem to be covered well enough," Mud said, circling around Pearl. "Alright, so you're my cousin, and I'm taking care of you for a few days. Now, let's go."</p><p>"Um... okay," Pearl said, following Mud towards the entrance to Pike's Landing. As they approached the gate, one of the guards stepped out in front of them, stopping them.</p><p>"Hold it," the guard ordered. She pointed towards Mud, and then towards Pearl. "I saw you leave earlier today, so you're good, but who's the kid? And why all the cover-up? It's kinda warm out today."</p><p>"Uh... I'm - " Pearl started to say before Mud tapped her on the shoulder, cutting her off.</p><p>"She's my cousin. My uncle had something unexpected come up that he needs to take care of, so he needs me to watch over her for now," Mud explained. "She's got sensitive skin, so she's gotta cover up until she gets inside."</p><p>"Huh," the guard said, turning to Pearl. "That true?"</p><p>"Y - yeah," Pearl stammered. "I get, uh... rashes, if I'm out in the sun for too long."</p><p>"That sucks," the guard said, stepping out of the way of the two girls. "Anyways, dunno if this is the best place to look after a kid, but you two are free to go in."</p><p>"Thanks," Mud said, stepping past the guard. Pearl followed her through the town's gate, making sure to keep her cloak wrapped tightly around her body. A bevy of smells, from the stench of fish sitting out in the sun and sting of ocean salt in the air to the enticing fragrances of exotic spices and even the acrid odor of burning gunpowder, assaulted her robotic nose. She was surprised; only now did she realize that, for some reason, whoever had built her body had given her the ability to smell.</p><p>"What is... this place..." Pearl muttered, looking around. After passing through the gate, she found herself on the side of what looked like a particularly busy street. The road was paved by stones rather than asphalt, and instead of cars, cart-pushing merchants made their way up and down the street, peddling odd wares and keeping an eye out for thieves and pickpockets. A variety of buildings lined the sides of the street, from conventional general stores and weaponsmiths to rowdy bars and gambling dens that emitted the stench of cigarette smoke. Shifty-eyed strangers roamed the sidewalks and the alleys, and Pearl noticed a group of thugs surrounding a scrawny man in a nearby alleyway before Mud grabbed her hand, pulling her down the street.</p><p>"Come on, don't just stand around. Makes you look like you don't belong, and that makes you a target," Mud said, letting go of Pearl's hand but still sticking close to her. "Gotta make a couple of stops around town. Try to stay close, and don't go wandering off on your own."</p><p>"Uh... alright," Pearl said, walking close behind Mud. "Where... where are we going?"</p><p>"Well, first stop's the bounty office. Gotta get my money for clearing out the beach where I found you," Mud said. She continued down the street, turning a few corners as Pearl followed close behind. "After that, I gotta make one more stop at a local place before we head out."</p><p>"Huh?" Pearl asked. "You mean we're not staying?"</p><p>"You really wanna stay here?" Mud asked.</p><p>"Um..." Pearl muttered, looking around. Across the street she spotted a couple of large men beating down a smaller man on the ground, shouting something about payback as passerbys simply turned their heads the other way. Further down the street, a merchant chased after a trio of scrawny, dirty-looking kids with a knife in his hand as he screamed about thievery. Drunken gamblers and drugged-up junkies sat still in the alleyways, sleeping off whatever was running through their body - or, at least, Pearl assumed they were sleeping. "Yeah, I guess I wouldn't mind leaving soon."</p><p>"Yeah, that's what I thought," Mud said, leading Pearl into one of the better-looking buildings along the side of the road. As they went through the door, Pearl spotted a large board hanging from the wall on the other side of the room, with a variety of papers and posters hanging from it. Some of them were clearly wanted posters, with large faces and bounty rewards printed on them, while others detailed requests ranging from clearing out Grimm in a certain area to gathering specific, hard-to-find machine parts. Surprisingly, Pearl was able to read even the smaller lines of text on the posters, despite being on the other side of the room. The cameras her body used as eyes must have been quite high-quality. In front of the board stood a few people milling around, looking up at the various posters and occasionally tearing one off the board. Though they varied in gender, age, and nationality, the one thing common between them was that they were all armed, with weapons ranging from swords to sniper rifles to strangely-shaped armaments that Pearl couldn't even figure out.</p><p>"This is where you got the job?" Pearl asked. "To clear out the beach, I mean? That's how you found me, right?"</p><p>"Yup. Just a small gig to fill my pockets a bit," Mud said, heading to a counter on the side of a room where a man was standing. She reached into her pocket, pulling out and unfurling a crumpled-up poster much like the ones Pearl had seen on the wall before slamming it down onto the counter. "Took care of your Karkinos problem. You got the money?"</p><p>"You got proof?" the man behind the counter asked.</p><p>"What, you can't take my word for it?" Mud asked back.</p><p>"Words ain't shit," the man said. "Don't wanna head down and find a bunch of Grimm on the beach after you've skipped town."</p><p>"Fine," Mud said, pulling out her scroll. Pearl saw her open up a picture of the beach where the two had met. "Check the timestamp on that. You see any Grimm?"</p><p>"Eh. Guess not," the man behind the counter said. He pointed to a spot on the side of the picture, where the box Pearl had been in was. "What's that thing there?"</p><p>"Just a bit of scrap that washed up," Mud said. "Now, we playing twenty questions or you gonna give me my money?"</p><p>"Yeah, yeah, I got it," the man said, reaching underneath the counter. He pulled out several colored Lien cards and handed them to Mud, who quickly pocketed them. "If you don't got any more jobs you wanna take, then get out of here."</p><p>"Actually, you got any jobs that need taking care of up east?" Mud asked. "I'm headed up there later."</p><p>"Lemme see," the man said, moving over to a file cabinet and pulling out a few files. After rummaging through for some time, she came back to Mud with one of the files. "Town called Damstel a few hours east needs a temporary night watch. It ain't much, but it's got money behind it, and it's only for a single night."</p><p>"Better than nothing," Mud said, taking the file. "Do I get my pay here, or from the client? I ain't planning on coming back here for a while."</p><p>"They just gave me enough money to keep this in my files. I'm guessing the rest of the money's over there with them," the man explained. "Try to do a good job, will ya? Don't want anyone thinking I'm sending slackers and half-wits for the jobs they give me."</p><p>"I'll do it good, but not for you. See ya," Mud said, heading towards the door as Pearl followed close behind.</p><p>"So... what now?" Pearl asked, following Mud onto the street. "You said you needed one more stop?"</p><p>"Yeah. Pub called Hangman Bill's. It's a pub on the north end of town, near the docks," Mud explained. "Got someone I'm looking for, and a lot of people pass through there, so I'm hoping to get a little bit of info if I can."</p><p>"You're looking for someone?" Pearl asked. "Who?"</p><p>"My sister," Mud said. "I lost her nearly a decade ago. Been searching for her ever since."</p><p>"I... I'm sorry to hear that," Pearl said. "I hope you find her."</p><p>"Yeah, me too," Mud said. The two continued to walk through the streets, with Pearl occasionally taking a moment to peek across the street and into alleyways as she kept close behind Mud. Occasionally, she felt eyes boring into the back of her head, but whenever she looked back, she couldn't see who it was. However, she sometimes saw a shadow darting back into an alleyway or around a corner.</p><p>"Uh, Mud..." Pearl started to say, tapping Mud on the shoulder. "I think someone might be following us?"</p><p>"Yeah, they've been tailing us since the bounty office," Mud said, increasing her pace. "Keep up, but don't let them know you've seen them. Pub's just a block or two away."</p><p>"A - alright," Pearl said, walking faster to keep up with Mud. She tried not to look back, but snuck a glance behind herself once or twice. Soon, the two found themselves in front of a rustic-looking pub, with a sign hanging out in front that said <em>Hangman Bill's.</em> A wooden figure, about as tall as Pearl's arm was long, hung next to the sign from a rope around its neck.</p><p>"Okay, we're here. Good thing too, cause I was getting a bit hungry," Mud said, pushing open the door. Pearl followed her through and was immediately greeted by the sounds of rowdy conversation and the smells of frying seafood. Several tables were set up across the pub, and nearly all of them were filled, mainly by people who looked like sailors or dockworkers. A long counter with many stools was set up at the back of the pub by the kitchen, and Mud led Pearl there, taking a seat and indicating for Pearl to do the same.</p><p>"Welcome to Hangman Bill's," a man by the counter said as Pearl sat beside Mud. "You two look new. What can I get for ya? We got a seafood stew on the fire in the back, if you're up for that. It's cheap, too."</p><p>"Sounds good," Mud said, turning to Pearl. "What about you?"</p><p>"Uh... I guess I'll have the same."</p><p>"Alright," Mud said, turning back to the man at the counter. "Two orders of fish stew."</p><p>"Coming right up," the man said, moving away from the counter and out of sight into the back kitchen.</p><p>"So, uh... why's this place called Hangman Bill's?" Pearl asked. "It seems kind of grim for a pub, and I saw a wooden figure hanging from the sign..."</p><p>"I dunno the whole story, since this is my first time here, but from what I heard, this place used to be called Goosefat Bill's up until five years ago," Mud said. "Was run by a guy named Bill, if you can believe it. From what I'm told, he had good food but a fiery temper."</p><p>"So... what happened to him?" Pearl asked.</p><p>"Well, he took his anger out on one of the girls at a local brothel one night, and he went a little too far. A lotta the town liked that girl, so when they heard that he had killed her, he got caught by a mob and hung from the sign of his own pub," Mud explained. "That's why the little thing's hanging from the sign right now."</p><p>"But... wouldn't that mean the place would have shut down?" Pearl asked. "After all, there's no owner..."</p><p>"Yeah, well, he had an assistant chef, and from what I heard he took over the place and rebranded it. Probably wasn't as mean as the previous owner, since he's still alive," Mud said. "Heard Bill's food was better though."</p><p>"That's... kind of morbid," Pearl said.</p><p>"Yeah, well, it's a morbid place. Not exactly paradise, this town," Mud said as the man came back out from the kitchen holding two bowls of steaming stew with a spoon in each. Mud took the bowls before handing the man a small bit of money. "Alright, this looks good. Wait, can you actually eat stuff? After all, you're... you know."</p><p>"I... I won't know until I try, I guess," Pearl said, unwrapping the cloth from around her face and bringing a small spoonful of stew up to her mouth. She felt the hot steam from the stew on her metallic lips and when it entered her mouth -</p><hr/><p>"<em>Father, are such sensors really necessary? I understand that they may be of use in rare cases, but considering the cost of implementing them, as well as the biomass converter, it doesn't seem practical for military purposes. The amount of energy you would get would pale in comparison to the DustCore - "</em></p><p>"<em>I get your concerns, but you have to remember, this isn't just any military robot or automated butler. If our experiments are successful, then all of this... it won't just be another prototype. For you, it will be so much more..."</em></p><hr/><p>- she was surprised to find that she could taste all the flavors of the stew, from the fresh fish and potatoes to the rich broth and fragrant spices. Only then did she realize that she had no tongue to taste with, yet somehow, the tastes were registering from her mouth up to her brain. Pearl closed her mouth, attempted to swallow, and was surprised yet again when the small spoonful of stew vacated her mouth, slipping down somewhere in her body.</p><p>"So, uh... how is it?" Mud asked, swallowing her own spoonful of stew. "Assuming you can actually taste stuff... can you?"</p><p>"I... yeah. I don't think I have a tongue, but for some reason, this body is able to taste and eat things. And even swallow them," Pearl explained. "I don't know where it goes, or what this body does with it, but... I guess it was made to be able to eat food? Maybe to convert into energy?"</p><p>"Huh, that's a surprise. Dunno why you'd build a robot with the ability to taste and eat stuff, though I guess it'd help power your body," Mud said, pausing to scoop more stew into her mouth. "But I feel like using food as a power source would be kinda inefficient compared to just feeding Dust into the engine."</p><p>"Yeah, I kinda thought that, too, but..." Pearl said, pausing for a moment. "I had a small memory flash when I tasted that stew. These capabilities... I don't think they were added to this body for practical reasons."</p><p>"Someone wanted your body to be able to taste stuff? Well, I guess you're one lucky robot," Mud said. "Anyways, you should probably eat up. I dunno what powers your body besides food, and I don't want you powering down in the middle of nowhere."</p><p>"Y-yeah, that would be bad. Though considering I was working fine before I ate anything just now, I probably have some other power source besides food," Pearl said as she continued on her stew. "By the way, was there another reason you stopped here? Besides lunch, I mean?"</p><p>"Oh yeah, right," Mud said, turning to the man at the counter. She pulled out a picture that Pearl wasn't able to get a good look at before showing it to the man. "Hey, have you seen - "</p><p>"Hey, girlie!" Someone shouted from the other side of the pub, interrupting Mud. "You, at the counter!"</p><p>"Huh," Mud muttered, turning around. Pearl turned with her to see a trio consisting of a large, bulky man, a well-built woman, and a skinny man approaching the two girls. "You need something? Don't particularly recognize you three, but you've been tailing us a while, so what's your deal?"</p><p>"Just looking to make a trade," the skinny man said. "You got something we want, and we're willing to pay you for it."</p><p>"Well, what is it?" Mud asked. "Come on, spit it out. You interrupted my lunch for this."</p><p>"Simple," the man said, nodding towards Pearl. "Your robot. Ten thousand lien."</p><p>"Me?" Pearl asked. "B-but why - "</p><p>"Damn, guess the cloak didn't work as well as I thought it would," Mud muttered. "So, why the big offer? You can pick up a good robot off the black market for a tenth of that."</p><p>"Ain't never seen anything like yours. She walks, talks, and acts like she's a genuine little girl," the skinny man said. "Got some clients who are into that sorta stuff."</p><p>"Wha - what do you mean?" Pearl asked. "I'm not sure - "</p><p>"Sorry, but no deal," Mud said. "She ain't mine, and even if she were, she ain't for sale."</p><p>"No deal, huh? You sure?" the man asked. "I'll give you one more chance to accept my offer. Just the one."</p><p>"You heard me. Get the fuck outta here and let me finish my lunch," Mud said, turning back towards her stew.</p><p>"If that's how it is..." the skinny man said. Pearl saw him turn towards the large, brawny man. "Grab the robot."</p><p>"Wait!" Pearl yelped as the large man approached her, his arm outstretched to grab her. "Please, don't - "</p><p>
  <strong>BangBang!</strong>
</p><p>Two gunshots, one right after the other, rang out as the brawny man fell to his knees, drawing back his arm as he screamed in pain. Pearl noticed that a bloody hole had appeared directly through his hand, passing cleanly through his palm and out the back of his hand. Blood also dripped down from a hole in his knee, splashing onto the wooden floor of the pub. As the man fell to the ground, still crying out in pain, Mud stood up from her stool, her pistol in hand.</p><p>"Told y'all to fuck off. Shoulda listened to me when you could," Mud said. By then, everyone else in the pub had realized that a fight was about to break out. Some left through the front entrance, while others gathered by the tables at the edges of the pub and began to place bets. "Pearl, go hide behind the counter or something."</p><p>"Uh... got it," Pearl said, jumping off her stool and running around to the other side of the counter. The skinny man grit his teeth, pulling a pistol of his own from his hip. At the same time, the woman behind him pulled out a pair of daggers.</p><p>"Time to die!" the woman shouted, leaping past the skinny man towards Mud. Mud ducked underneath a horizontal swipe before stepping to the side, barely avoiding a downwards slash from her other dagger. Then, Mud raised her pistol, aiming for the woman's stomach.</p><p>
  <strong>Bang!</strong>
</p><p>However, instead of firing, Mud suddenly ducked down as a bullet whizzed over her head, shattering a glass mug on a nearby table. Pearl looked up and saw the skinny man with his pistol pointed out towards Mud, already adjusting his aim downwards. However, Mud was faster, raising her own pistol and shooting the skinny man's gun out of his hand. The woman attempted to strike Mud while she was distracted, but Mud reached out, grabbing her wrist as she swung towards her and stopping the woman in her tracks.</p><p>"Hope you got aura," Pearl heard Mud mutter as she unloaded her pistol into the woman's stomach. She recoiled back as the gunshots caused her aura to shimmer repeatedly until, finally, it shattered. Fortunately for her, Mud had stopped firing just as the woman's aura gave way, and instead of shooting her once more, Mud opted to kick her directly in the stomach, sending her crashing through one of the nearby tables. Out of the corner of her eye, Pearl noticed the large man that Mud had shot pushing himself onto his feet, stepping towards Mud as she turned away towards the skinny man, who had just picked up his pistol. The large man began picking up his pace, bringing back his fist as he got closer and closer to Mud's back.</p><p>"Look out!" Pearl shouted, and Mud immediately swiveled, aiming downwards and shooting the man in his other knee. He screamed once again, falling to the floor as blood trickled out of his other leg. Mud then shot him in the shoulder of his good arm before turning back towards the skinny man, who was raising his pistol. However, before he could bring it up towards Mud, he found the barrel of Mud's pistol pressing right against his forehead, freezing him in place.</p><p>"Leave. I don't wanna kill if I don't have to, but if I see y'all again, I'm aiming for the head," Mud said, gesturing towards the door of the pub. "And teach your muscle to keep up his aura whenever he's trying to intimidate someone."</p><p>"Y - yeah. We're leaving," the skinny man said, sheathing his pistol and stepping towards the door as Mud kept her pistol raised towards his head. The woman that Mud had kicked through a table pushed herself up and began to pull out her knives, only for Mud to immediately shift her aim towards her.</p><p>"I broke your aura. Go, or I put one through your skull," Mud said, gesturing towards the door. The woman paused for a moment before sheathing her knives and heading towards the exit. The skinny man at the door attempted to draw his pistol again, but Mud quickly shifted her aim towards him, and he stopped, backing away through the door and out of sight. As the woman exited the pub, Mud's pistol pointed at her head, the burly man crawled after her, moaning as his wounds still dropped against the pub's floor. The door to the pub closed, and Mud sighed, sheathing her pistol before making her way back to her seat. "Well, that's taken care of. Come on, Pearl, get over here and finish your stew before it gets cold. And thanks for the callout earlier."</p><p>"Uh... you're welcome," Pearl said, making her way back around the counter and sitting down beside Mud. "You told me you were a mercenary, but... wow. I didn't know you were that good at fighting."</p><p>"Years of experience," Mud said, turning to the man behind the counter. "Sorry for the mess. How much will it cost you to fix the place up? The table and the bloodstains, I mean?"</p><p>"Eh, don't worry about it. Stuff like that happens a lot here," the man said. Pearl looked around and saw that, besides the destroyed table and the blood that had dripped down onto the floor, the pub had pretty much gone back to how it was before the fight, with its patrons making rowdy conversations as the money that people had bet on the fight exchanged hands. "I'll have everything back up by the end of the day."</p><p>"Well, here's a little something for your trouble," Mud said, handing the man a small bit of money. Then, she pulled out the picture that she had tried to show to him before they were interrupted. "Anyways, you seen this woman anytime? Maybe a few years ago? Goes by the name 'Resina', if she wasn't faking it."</p><p><em>Resina?</em> Pearl thought, pausing for a moment as she ate her stew. For some reason, the name seemed familiar, though she had no idea why.</p><p>"Hm... actually, I think she might've come around a few years back. Made an impression on me cause she got herself involved in a fight much like yours. Not as much blood, though," the man said. "Anyways, I think she was headed north-east, towards the upper end of the kingdom. Dunno much more than that."</p><p>"Thanks for the help," Mud said. She was about to pocket the picture, but Pearl reached out, grabbing her wrist gently and stopping her.</p><p>"Can I, uh, see that picture?" Pearl asked. "I... the name... it sounds kind of familiar?"</p><p>"Huh?" Mud asked. "What do you mean?"</p><p>"Sorry, I, uh..." Pearl stuttered for a moment before pausing to take a nonexistent breath. "I just feel like I've heard it before, but I don't remember where."</p><p>"Hm. That's interesting. Here, you can take a look," Mud said, taking the picture back out and handing it to Pearl. Pearl took it and saw a young girl with short brown hair who looked quite like a younger version of Mud; Pearl assumed it was her, just from many years ago. Next to her stood an older, taller girl with fair skin and long black hair -</p><hr/><p>
  <em>Knock knock knock.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Knock knock knock.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Coming!" Pearl shouted, making her way down the hall and to the front door. Opening the door, she saw a woman with fair skin and long black hair standing at her doorstep, completely drenched from the rain. "Hi, do you need something?"</em></p><p>"<em>Is... is Mr. Koschei there?" the woman said. She was panting slightly, as though she had run all the way up and down the road. "I'd like to speak with him, please."</em></p><p>"<em>I... I'll call him," Pearl said, turning away. "Father, you have a visitor!"</em></p><p>"<em>I'll be right there!" Pearl's father called back. After a few moments, he turned the corner from the kitchen, making his way over to the front door. "Oh my, you're drenched. Come in, get out of the rain."</em></p><p>"<em>Thank you," the woman said, stepping inside.</em></p><p>"<em>Come this way. I'll turn up the heater," Pearl's father said, leading the woman to the dining room. "Pearl, why don't you fetch us some snacks?"</em></p><p>"<em>Alright, father," Pearl said, making her way over to the kitchen and grabbing a box of cookies. She set the cookies out on a platter and brought them over to the dining table, where her father and the woman were seated. "Here you go."</em></p><p>"<em>Thanks," the woman said, taking a cookie and giving Pearl a warm smile. As Pearl smiled back and sat down, the woman turned towards Pearl's father. "You... you work for Green Ocean, right? You know stuff about the soul?"</em></p><p>"<em>That... I suppose that could be accurate," Pearl's father said. "Why do you ask? Do you need something of me?"</em></p><p>"<em>Sorry, I'm getting ahead of myself," the woman said. "My name's Resina. Resina Stone. Nice to meet you."</em></p><p>"<em>Nice to meet you, Ms. Stone," Pearl's father replied. "I am Ivan Koschei, and this is my daughter, P - "</em></p><hr/><p>"Hey, hey, you there?" Pearl suddenly heard Mud yell. "Wake up!"</p><p>"Huh?" Pearl said, looking around. She was still in Hangman Bill's, sitting by the counter with her stew in front of her. "What happened?"</p><p>"I dunno, you tell me," Mud said. "I showed you a picture of my sister and you froze up all of a sudden. You've been out for like half a minute. What happened?"</p><p>"Sorry, I had a... well, some sort of memory flash," Pearl said. She brought her hands up to her head. "Your sister, I'm sure I've seen her before. And I think I remember more of who I was... including my name."</p><p>"Huh? What do you mean?" Mud asked. "What do you remember?"</p><p>"I... she came looking for my father. His name was Ivan Koschei. And my name..." Pearl said, pausing for a moment as she ran through the memory flash she had experienced moments ago.</p><p>"My name is Pearl Koschei."</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>And there's chapter 15! The two girls make their way into town, have lunch, get into a little tussle, and find out a little more about Pearl's past, including a particular relationship she has to someone Mud's looking for. How did Pearl get here? What did Resina want from her father? Stay tuned to find out.</p><p>If you enjoyed the chapter and/or want to leave feedback, suggestions, or anything at all, please don't hesitate to drop a comment down below. I make sure to reply to everything, whether in public or private. With that said, thanks to everyone who's read up to here and have a nice day!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0016"><h2>16. It's What's Inside That Counts</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 16: It's What's Inside That Counts</strong>
</p><p>"Koschei?" Mud asked, her eyebrows raising as she stopped eating her stew for a moment. "So your name is Pearl Koschei... and your dad's name is Ivan?"</p><p>"I... I think so," Pearl said. "Sorry, I don't remember much other than that..."</p><p>"Heh. Heh. Ha," Mud chuckled, turning away for a moment as if stifling her laughter. "What the shit. That's a fucking coincidence, alright."</p><p>"Uh... is something wrong?" Pearl asked.</p><p>"Hey, uh, tell me something," Mud asked, turning back towards Pearl. "Your father live in Atlas? You heard of anything by the name of Green Ocean?"</p><p>"Um... I don't know about Atlas, but I remember something about Green Ocean," Pearl said. She concentrated, replaying in her head the flashback she just had. "Your sister... she said my father worked for it. From what I remember, it's a biotech company that has several contracts with Atlas's military. Why do you ask?"</p><p>"I, uh... guess I should probably explain. I'm trying to track my sis down, but I haven't had luck until recently. Got info that she headed up to Atlas some years back to meet up with your dad," Mud asked. "Was looking for an expert on aura and the soul, and she got pointed up to your dad, who I'm told worked at Green Ocean. You know anything about that?"</p><p>"Well, I remember her coming into the house and asking my father about Green Ocean. I guess my father was probably working there at the time," Pearl said. "And from what I know, Green Ocean has developed much equipment that tracks, bolsters, and augments aura, among other things, so if my father worked there as a researcher, it's likely that he would know much about aura and the soul."</p><p>"Makes sense. Need to know how the soul works in order to build equipment for it," Mud said. "Still dunno why my sister needs something like that, though. Maybe she... nah, that wouldn't make sense."</p><p>"Huh?" Pearl asked. "What wouldn't make sense?"</p><p>"Don't worry about it," Mud said, slurping up the rest of her seafood stew before pointing down towards Pearl's. "Might wanna finish up your lunch. We're gonna be heading down to Damstel , and I wanna get down there by tonight. The earlier, the better."</p><p>"Uh, okay," Pearl said, quickly spooning the rest of the stew into her mouth. Mud watched her finish before standing up and stepping towards the exit of the pub, and Pearl followed close behind her after thanking the man behind the counter. When they made their way back onto the street, Pearl looked around, but saw no trace of the small group that Mud had fought off. "Do you think they might attack again? The guys who wanted to buy me from you, I mean?"</p><p>"Huh? Nah, I don't think so. Guys like them will probably be nursing their wounds back wherever they're holed up. Losing that hard with a numbers advantage can be a big hit to the old motivation," Mud said. "And if they do come back, I'll be ready. I'm really good at sniffing out ambushes, you know."</p><p>"Well, if you think it'll be fine..."</p><p>"Yeah, I think it'll be fine. Now come on, let's get out of this town. Like I said, we gotta make it to Damstel before nightfall," Mud said. "You wanna grab some snacks before we hit the road? I got some jerky, but that's about it for snack food."</p><p>"I, uh... jerky's fine," Pearl said. "I don't think I'll be hungry, anyways."</p><p>"Suit yourself," Mud said, making her way away from Hangman Bill's and towards the town's exit. Pearl followed her through the streets and past the front gate as they set out on the road east, heading towards the town of Damstel a few hours down the road.</p><hr/><p>The road up towards Damstel was a fairly barren one. Carved in dirt through the grassy hills of the region, it was far enough away from the coast that Pearl could no longer see the ocean, yet close enough that the cool sea wind still made its way over the hills and onto Pearl's exterior. Though she didn't exactly have conventional skin, whatever sensors had been built into her body did a good job at conveying the feeling of the cold breeze blowing against her arms. However, the wind also caused her cloak to pull away from her body and fly like a flag into the breeze.</p><p>"Uh... Mud?" Pearl asked, grabbing the cloak into a bundle to make sure it didn't fly away. "Do I still need to wear this? It's kind of cumbersome to wear with this wind, and we're pretty far from Pike's Landing by now, so I don't think anyone else is going to come after me..."</p><p>"Huh? Oh yeah, I forgot about that. Give it here," Mud said. Pearl took off the cloak and handed it to Mud, who stuffed it into her backpack. "You sure you don't need it? It gets pretty cold up this north."</p><p>"I think I should be fine. I haven't yet experienced any major temperature fluctuations, and most Atleasian robotics designed for field use are capable of withstanding temperatures well below freezing," Pearl explained. "If my body was built to such standards, I think I should be quite fine, even if we do head up to Atlas."</p><p>"Right. You sure know a lot about Atlas robotics," Mud said. "Who knows, maybe you built this body. Or your dad. You think that's a possibility?"</p><p>"I... it's not impossible. After all, my father is a researcher, and likely quite an accomplished one if your sister was recommended to him," Pearl said. "But to build a robot is one thing. Somehow fitting a soul like myself into it? It seems a daunting, if not impossible task."</p><p>"Well, your dad worked for Green Ocean, right? They develop aura-tech or some shit? Aura's kinda the soul, so it ain't completely out of the question," Mud said, circling around Pearl and looking over her body. "Though I don't see any logos or markings on you, so I dunno for sure. Maybe once we get into Atlas and find your dad, we'll get some more answers."</p><p>"Right. Atlas," Pearl said. "You... are heading to Atlas, correct? To find my father? And to help track down your sister?"</p><p>"Yup. That's the gist of it. We're headed to the kingdom of ice and robots," Mud said. "Don't much like the place. Too cold, not enough work, too much military. Got a damn soldier or Knight around every corner."</p><p>"I... it's probably not that bad. Then again, I have barely any memory of the place," Pearl said. "But why are you walking, then? Would it not have been easier to take a ship up from Pike's Landing?"</p><p>"Yeah, well, I ain't in a rush. That info I got is already a few years old, so she's got a big head start on me already. And boat fare's cheaper up at the north end of the kingdom, past the strait between Vale and the Darklands," Mud explained. "Gives me some opportunities to pick up jobs along the way. Plus, I got to meet you, didn't I?"</p><p>"I... guess so," Pearl said. "But could you not try to contact him via your scroll?"</p><p>"What, you think anyone just hands out their number?" Mud asked. "Don't got any way to call or message your dad if I dunno how to contact him. Unless you happen to have his contact info rattling around in those memories of yours."</p><p>"I... sorry, I don't," Pearl said. "But if he's still working at Green Ocean, perhaps his contact information is public? That could be the case if he is a prominent figure within the company. Perhaps you could at least call the company."</p><p>"That... could work. Lemme look it up," Mud said, taking out her scroll. After tapping a few buttons, she frowned and slipped it back into her pocket. "Damn, no signal out here. Can't connect to the CCTnet."</p><p>"Hm. Maybe..." Pearl began to say as she remembered something from earlier in the day. "I believe most settlements have CCTnet relay towers that connect them to the global network. That means there is probably a CCTnet relay tower in Damstel. Perhaps you could look it up once we're there?"</p><p>"Could work. Not really in a rush though, since we're going up to Atlas anyways to bring you to your dad," Mud said. "You do want that, right?"</p><p>"I... I'd like that," Pearl said. "He and your sister, they're the only ones I can remember from before I was... this. Perhaps he may have some answers."</p><p>"Maybe," Mud said, pulling a stick of jerky from her pocket. She took a large bite out of the top of the stick before handing it towards Pearl. "Want some?"</p><p>"Isn't that, uh... unsanitary?"</p><p>"You're a robot."</p><p>"That is true," Pearl said, taking the stick of jerky. She gingerly bit into it with her metal teeth before pulling it into her mouth. Like with the stew, it felt odd to chew the jerky, since while she had a normal set of teeth, she lacked any tongue to go with it. However, she could still somehow taste the dried meat without issue, and she swallowed after a few seconds of chewing.</p><p>"How is it?" Mud asked as Pearl handed back the stick of jerky. "You looked kinda concentrated there."</p><p>"It was... decent. I have little to compare it to besides the stew we had earlier today," Pearl said. "But I think I am still not used to eating with this body. It feels odd to eat without a tongue."</p><p>"Yeah, well, you're lucky you can taste stuff without one. I bet eating would be pretty dull if you couldn't taste anything," Mud said, taking another bite of the jerky. "Lotta good food all across Remnant. You should thank whoever made your body."</p><p>"I suppose I should," Pearl said. "I hope you don't mind me asking, but... you seem quite well-traveled. Have you been to all the kingdoms?"</p><p>"Yup. Mostly stayed around Vale and Vacuo, but I've been up around Atlas and Mistral a decent bit," Mud said. "Why do you ask?"</p><p>"What is the food like?" Pearl asked. "Across the kingdoms, I mean? I seem to have some knowledge of how things should taste, but as you can probably guess, that knowledge is somewhat... limited."</p><p>"That's what you wanna know? Well, Vacuo's got the best food around, if you don't mind having everything buried in spices. Had a really good chili pork dish from a local place in the capital, though it was long enough ago that I can't remember where it was," Mud said. "Oh, and their stuff is pretty dry, too. Still good, though. And Vale food, well, you've already tasted a bit of it."</p><p>"What about Atlas?" Pearl asked. "What is the food like up there?"</p><p>"Huh? Oh, Atlesians can't cook for shit," Mud said as Pearl saw a grimace coming over Mud's face. "Everything's cold and lumpy. Ugh."</p><p>"Is it really that bad?"</p><p>"Eh, the stuff I tasted was. Didn't stay too long," Mud explained. "Alcohol was good though. So it ain't all bad."</p><p>"I... I'm not sure if I'm even old enough to drink," Pearl said.</p><p>"Eh, you're a robot," Mud said. "If you can eat just fine, I doubt drinking would do you any harm, even if you are underage."</p><p>"I guess that's true," Pearl said as the two reached the top of one of the many hills along the road. She stopped and turned around, looking back to see how far they had walked. While most of the view was of hills and grasslands, she could see a speck in the distance which she assumed was Pike's Landing.</p><p>"You coming?" Mud asked</p><p>"Uh, yeah," Pearl said, turning back around. "How much longer until we get to Damstel?"</p><p>"We still got a decent ways to go," Mud explained. "Why? Your body getting tired?"</p><p>"I... don't think I can get tired. Or sore, at least," Pearl said. "I'm still good to go."</p><p>"Sounds good. Probably a few hours left, unless we manage to catch a ride up towards Damstel," Mud said. Her gaze shifted past Pearl's shoulder. "Damn, that's a coincidence."</p><p>"Huh?" Pearl asked. Following Mud's eyes, she turned to see a small pickup truck rolling over one of the many hills towards the two girls, kicking up a load of dust behind it. Mud pulled Pearl over to the side of the road as she raised her hand and extended a thumb outwards in a hitchhiking gesture. As the truck rolled towards them, it began to slow down, stopping right by the two girls.</p><p>"You headed up to Damstel?" Mud asked the driver, a grungy-looking middle-aged man.</p><p>"Yup," the driver said, peering down towards Pearl. "The heck's that?"</p><p>"I'm, uh..."</p><p>"I got cash. It's yours if you take us up to Damstel and don't ask about the robot," Mud said, flashing a few Lien cards. "Sound good?"</p><p>"Eh, fine," the driver said, taking the money. "Y'all can ride in the back. And don't mess with anything."</p><p>"Um, thank you," Pearl said as Mud pulled her towards the back of the truck, where a mess of crates and boxes were already set up. The two girls climbed into the bed of the truck and found a seat among the cargo as the truck began moving once again, making its way down towards Damstel.</p><hr/><p>
  <em>Ting.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Ting.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Ting.</em>
</p><p>Pearl repeatedly tapped her index finger against her thigh. Each tap produced a quiet <em>tink</em> of metal against metal. It still felt weird to her; while she had barely any memory of her life before she had this body, she knew that she was supposed to be made of soft flesh and blood, not... this.</p><p>Well, at least this strange body came with benefits. For example, though Pearl could feel the chill of the wind blowing through the bed of the truck, she wasn't bothered by it.</p><p>"Damn, getting a bit chilly," Mud muttered, shivering slightly as she looked out ahead of the truck. "Looks like we're almost there, though."</p><p>"We are?" Pearl asked, raising her head and standing up to look over the front of the truck. As it crossed over yet another hill, Pearl saw the road descend into a large valley, with gentle hills rolling up on each side. Down in the center of the valley was what looked like a small town, with clusters of buildings gathered around an open area in its center. Patches of farmland branched out from the edges of the town,though Pearl wasn't yet close enough to see what exactly was being grown or raised. "Uh... do you know what this town will be like? Will it be anything like Pike's Landing?"</p><p>"Dunno. Never been here," Mud said, turning towards Pearl. "But if I had to guess, by how close it is to Pike's Landing, it's probably some sorta trade town. Sailors and merchants come up from Pike's Landing, spend a night or two at the inns and bars, drop some cash on the local shops and markets, maybe do some bartering."</p><p>"They sustain only on trade?" Pearl asked. "That doesn't seem too feasible..."</p><p>"Well, not just trade. You saw those farms coming in, didn't you? Whatever they can't trade for, they probably get from the land," Mud explained. "Though again, that's just a guess. Could be wrong."</p><p>"I... I guess we'll find out soon," Pearl said as the truck made its way down into the valley. While the sides of the valley weren't steep, they were quite long, and it took a decent bit of time for the truck to reach the farmland by the edge of the town. Pearl looked out, watching the fields of wheat and corn roll by before spotting a field where several sheep were roaming around. "Oh, look!"</p><p>"What?" Mud asked, turning her head. "Oh, sheep? Yeah, I guess they raise a bit of livestock here. Or they make sweaters, I dunno."</p><p>"I heard that they're soft. Like touching a cloud," Pearl said. "Is that true?"</p><p>"Not like a cloud, but they're soft. You can go ask if you can touch one if we have free time," Mud said. "Though how'd you hear they're soft? Thought you don't remember anything."</p><p>"I... don't remember," Pearl said, looking down. "For some reason, I just... remember hearing that somehow? Maybe someone told me that before I became like this..."</p><p>"Eh, I guess you don't know any more than I do," Mud said, looking back towards the front of the truck as it passed the farmlands, slowing down as the town's gates approached. "Anyways, seems like we're here. Hopefully border guards are more lazy than the ones at Pike's Landing."</p><p>"What should we do if they aren't?" Pearl asked, leaning towards Mud. "Should I put on the cloak again?"</p><p>"To be honest, we'll probably be fine. If they're a trade town, they won't gain much from turning guys away at the gate, especially if they got cargo like this," Mud said, pointing at the boxes and crates surrounding the two. As she did so, the truck rumbled past the town gates, the guards merely standing by and not even sparing a glance towards Mud or Pearl. "See? Things'll be fine."</p><p>"Still, shouldn't I be covered up?" Pearl asked. "You said that scrappers, thieves, and other bad people might want to take me..."</p><p>"That was back in Pike's Landing. Place is a shithole compared to most towns. Though I guess it doesn't hurt to be safe," Mud said, throwing Pearl the cloak. She put it on as the truck began rolling to a stop. "I doubt it'll be as bad here, though. Even if someone does see what you are, you'll probably be fine as long as you don't attract too much attention to yourself."</p><p>"You two wanted to get to Damstel, yeah?" the truck driver asked, leaning out his side window towards the girls. "Well, we're here."</p><p>"Yup. Thanks for the ride," Mud said, standing up and hopping over the side of the truck bed.</p><p>"Um, thank you," Pearl said, following Mud off the truck. Her metal feet clanged against the stone-paved road, and though it wasn't excessively loud, the driver still took notice.</p><p>"Uh-huh. Dunno what's up with you, but good luck," the driver said as he pulled himself back into the truck and drove away, leaving the two girls by the side of the street. Pearl looked around; it seemed the driver had dropped them off in the center of town, which was an open square with streets leading away towards the edge of town. Though it was nearing evening, the square was still quite busy, with various market stalls set up around the square as people walked through, checking out and occasionally purchasing items. Many establishments were situated along the edges of the square; a few stores, an inn, and some bars from which Pearl could already hear joyful and rowdy conversation. However, the most striking feature was a statue in the middle of the square. It was several meters tall and depicted a woman with long hair and a cloak flowing in the wind. She held a Dust-tipped staff with one hand, with the other hand empty and stretching out towards the sky.</p><p>"What's that?" Pearl asked, pointing towards the statue.</p><p>"Huh? I dunno, maybe the local deity or something," Mud said, glancing up at the statue. "Why do you ask?"</p><p>"It's... interesting. I don't think people would put up a statue like this without reason," Pearl said as she made her way up to the statue, with Mud following behind her. Up close, Pearl could see that the statue was quite finely crafted, with the most minute details carved into the stone to make the figure seem nearly lifelike. "Wow, this is really well made. It must have taken quite a long time to carve."</p><p>"Ah, curious, are you?" Pearl heard someone say. She turned to see an old man with a cane slowly walking up beside her, looking up at the statue before shifting his gaze back down towards Pearl.. "This here's the statue of our savior. The Lady of Damstel."</p><p>"Who is she?" Pearl asked, turning away slightly to hide her face behind her cloak. "What did she do to get a statue of herself erected here?"</p><p>"It was back maybe... a hundred years ago. Not during my time," the old man said, sitting down by the base of the statue. "You've learned about the Great War, haven't you?"</p><p>"Uh... yes, I have," Pearl said, sitting beside the man. "It was nearly a century ago, wasn't it? Vale and Vacuo fought against Mantle and Mistral for a decade before peace was finally achieved."</p><p>"That's correct. My father fought in that war, on the side of Mantle," the old man said. "At one point, he joined an expeditionary force into northern Vale. It was with them that he first arrived at Damstel. Here, they came into conflict with a regiment of troops from Vale, leading to a fierce battle that threatened to consume the town."</p><p>"What happened?" Pearl asked. "The town is still here, so I assume..."</p><p>"Well, with all the fighting and destruction came something inevitable: the Grimm. And according to my father, they came down in the thousands, pouring over the hills and painting the fields black," the old man explained. "The soldiers of Mantle and Vale called a truce to fend off the Grimm, but they were hopelessly outnumbered. Then, the Lady appeared."</p><p>"The Lady? But she's just one person. Even the best Huntsmen and Huntresses wouldn't be able to take on a Grimm horde of thousands," Pearl said. "And Huntsmen and Huntresses didn't even exist back then, so she must have just been a soldier..."</p><p>"Not even. According to my father, she was just a wanderer that had been passing through the town," the old man said. "But when the Grimm descended upon the town, she made her way to the front lines, commanding the elements and pushing back the hordes almost single-handedly."</p><p>"Commanding the elements? What do you mean?" Pearl asked, looking up at the old man. "Was she a Dust user?"</p><p>"No. From what my father told me, the Lady was no mere Dust user. As she fought, fire rained down from the heavens, lightning struck across the battlefield, and freezing winds stopped hundreds of the foul creatures right in their tracks," the old man said. "It was as if she was one of the maidens from the tales of old, using her magic to bring the wrath of the elements upon the Grimm and push them back."</p><p>"Perhaps... a semblance, maybe?" Pearl suggested. "I've heard of semblances that allow for control over the elements, though none that apply to multiple, nor any powerful enough to drive back a horde of Grimm numbering in the thousands."</p><p>"Nobody knows for sure. After the Grimm were defeated, the Lady turned to the troops from Vale and Mantle, threatening to turn her might against them if they resumed fighting," the old man said. "Once they swore to a truce, she left. My father left Mantle's army and settled here after the war ended, but as far as anyone here knows, the Lady has not returned since then."</p><p>"So she saved this place? I suppose that would be a fitting reason to give one a statue," Pearl said, looking up at the statue of the Lady. "One woman commanding the elements themselves against a horde of thousands... it really does sound like something out of a fairy tale."</p><p>"The elements, huh..."</p><p>Pearl turned to see Mud looking up at the statue, rubbing her chin in thought. She walked up to the statue, running her hand over the staff the Lady was carrying. Then, she circled around the statue before standing still once more.</p><p>"Uh, Mud?" Pearl asked, looking up at Mud. "What is it?"</p><p>"Huh? Sorry, was thinking about something," Mud said, still looking up at the statue. "My sister had a similar semblance, I think. She wasn't 'smite a thousand Grimm' strong, but she could do stuff with fire, ice, stuff like that."</p><p>"In that case, maybe it's some sort of rare semblance then?" Pearl suggested. "I suppose it wouldn't be impossible for a semblance like that to exist."</p><p>"I guess so. Looks kinda like my sis, too. She even wielded a staff like that," Mud muttered. "Kinda strange, right? I mean, one similarity's normal, two's coincidence, but for the weapon, semblance, <em>and</em> appearance to be the same..."</p><p>"Could it be that she's one of your ancestors?" Pearl asked. "Perhaps your great-great-grandmother or something along those lines? That would explain the appearance, and semblances can be hereditary, so..."</p><p>"Guess that's a possibility. Don't know much about my family history, though she wouldn't be my ancestor, only my sister's," Mud said. She shifted her eyes past the statue, and Pearl followed her gaze to the sun setting over the hills surrounding the town. "Well, looks like it's getting a bit darker. I should probably go figure out where I need to go for that job. Hey, old man, you know if this place has a guardhouse or anything?"</p><p>"Oh? It's on the street that way, about two blocks down," the old man said, pointing towards one of the streets branching off from the square. "It's got a shield on the front. Can't miss it."</p><p>"Thanks. Come on, Pearl, let's go," Mud said. Pearl stood up and followed Mud as she started walking in the direction the old man had pointed towards. The stalls and shops that had populated the town square extended into the streets surrounding it, and they were still quite busy, with people regularly making their way in and out of their doors. Pearl noticed a lot less shifty gazes and nasty glares than she had back at Pike's Landing; nearly everyone had a smile on their face.</p><p>"This place seems nice," Pearl said, walking up beside Mud. "Are most towns like this? I would prefer if they were, rather than being like Pike's Landing."</p><p>"Eh, it varies. I guess most are closer to this," Mud said, scanning the buildings along the sides of the street. As the sky grew darker, Pearl noticed several of the stall owners and shop managers putting out Dust-fueled lanterns and lights, with some even lighting wax candles.</p><p>"Huh, that's odd. Is this common in Vale?" Pearl asked, pointing towards the lanterns. "I mean, using individual lights rather than lamps connected to an electric grid? I had thought that was how most modern settlements lit up the streets at night."</p><p>"You see it sometimes in smaller villages, but, uh..." Mud trailed off, looking up towards one of the posts lining the street. Pearl followed her sight, raising her eyes to see a streetlight hanging overhead, with several more placed at regular intervals down the road. However, none of them were lit; only the Dust lamps of the shops and stalls illuminated the path as the sun set. "Something's up here. If they got an electric grid, I guess they ain't using it."</p><p>"Why not?"</p><p>"I dunno. We can ask the guard captain or someone, I guess. And speaking of, looks like we're here," Mud said, coming to a stop. Pearl stopped beside her and looked up to see an emblem of a shield hanging on a building on the side of the road. Mud went and knocked on the door. "Hey, anyone home?"</p><p>"Coming!" a voice shouted from inside the building. The door opened, and a middle-aged man stepped out to greet them. "Sveltson Cinnabar. Captain of the Damstel Guard. What can I help you with?"</p><p>"Heard from the bounty office in Pike's Landing that you got work," Mud explained, pulling the job file she had gotten there out and handing it to Sveltson. "Night watch, right? Why just the one night?"</p><p>"Yes, it'll just be a simple watch along the edge of town. And as to why it's just a single night, the electric grid went down recently. The town gets its electricity from a hydroelectric plant along a river a few miles down the road, but the plant was damaged recently. The town's gone dark, everything with electricity is dead, and people are getting kinda antsy. Some people have backup generators, but most everyone's gonna be relying on non-electrical devices like the Dust lamps you've seen," Sveltson explained. "Fortunately, a repairman is coming up from Vale to take a look at it. He should be here tomorrow to hopefully fix things up, but we need some extra hands on deck for tonight. With everything going dark and the mood generally down, we need to be wary of Grimm attacks."</p><p>"Oh, so that's why all the lights are out," Pearl said, turning to Mud. "I guess that means we probably can't use the CCT relay tower here, either. Doubt that's still on."</p><p>"Eh, I'm not in a rush. I can just use the one in the next town, wherever that is," Mud said, turning back towards Sveltson. "So, where do you need me, and for how long?"</p><p>"There's a guard tower to the northeast of town, a bit off the road north. You'll be stationed up there. Your shift starts at two in the morning and ends at sunrise," Sveltson explained. "You're our first warning on anything, so if you see anything, radio us. You got a radio?"</p><p>"Yup," Mud said. Pearl saw her take a small handheld radio out of her pocket. "What's the frequency?"</p><p>"Three zero four," Sveltson said. "Anything else? Otherwise, I expect you to radio in once your shift starts."</p><p>"Nothing else. I'll do that," Mud said. Sveltson nodded, and the door closed. "Alright, let's find an inn, grab something to eat, and hit the hay."</p><p>"We're sleeping already?" Pearl asked. "It's only... about seven, maybe eight. The sun has barely set."</p><p>"Yeah, but I got an early morning shift. I can go without much sleep, but that doesn't mean I like it," Mud said, stepping off down the street as Pearl followed along. "Speaking of, do you need sleep? I dunno if you were sleeping when I found you or just deactivated, but I ain't ever heard of a robot that needs sleep."</p><p>"Uh... sorry, I don't really know," Pearl said. "I don't feel tired, but maybe that's just because it's quite early in the evening..."</p><p>"Eh, I guess we'll find out," Mud said.</p><hr/><p>As it turned out, Pearl didn't need sleep. Or at least, she couldn't get herself to sleep; she was unsure whether she truly didn't require sleep or was just too restless to do so. After a quick dinner served from the kitchen of a local inn, Pearl found herself tossing and turning on a bed in a dark room, with Mud sleeping soundly in the other bed a few meters away. At least, Pearl assumed she was sleeping; she was quiet, and Pearl wasn't willing to check and possibly wake her up, considering she had to wake up early in the morning.</p><p><em>Maybe I should go out on a walk,</em> Pearl thought. She had been lying in bed for a long time now. She wasn't sure exactly how long, but she guessed she had been trying to sleep for at least an hour to no success. Still wide awake, Pearl threw off the sheets and rolled out of bed, hesitating slightly as the floorboards creaked beneath her weight.</p><p>"Heading out?" Pearl heard Mud mumble. She turned to see Mud turn towards her, her eyes still shut. "Can't sleep?"</p><p>"I... I don't think I can, sorry," Pearl said, grabbing her cloak from a nearby chair and wrapping it around herself. "Is it alright with you if I wander around a bit?"</p><p>"It's fine. Can't say I didn't expect a robot not being able to sleep," Mud muttered, turning back around. "Just be back by two. Wanna have someone to talk with on guard duty."</p><p>"I'll try," Pearl said, making her way out the door. Outside of the room they were staying in, the inn was dimly lit by candles and Dust lamps, guiding Pearl through the hall, down the stairs, and into the main lobby. Besides a likely-drunk stranger resting on a couch, the lobby was devoid of life, so Pearl made her way through the entrance and out into the town square. Though most of the square was dark, the statue of the Lady of Damstel was lit up by a single flickering Dust lamp placed at its base. With the Lady being like a beacon in the middle of the darkness, Pearl decided to make her way up to the statue.</p><p><em>A single civilian who drove off thousands of Grimm? It seems too fantastical to be true, but if so many people saw it, I suppose it couldn't be falsified,</em> Pearl thought, gazing up at the statue. Then, her eyes dropped to the lamp flickering at its base. <em>I guess the people here like her enough to give her a bit of light. Seems to be a bit unstable, though...</em></p><p>Pearl reached down and picked up the lamp, bringing its white-orange glow closer to her face. It wasn't too large, about as tall as her arm was long, and the light had flickered dim enough that she could keep it close without blinding herself. Assuming she was capable of blinding herself; Pearl didn't know how well her artificial eyes could handle bright lights. <em>I wonder what's wrong with it... maybe it doesn't have enough fuel? Or maybe -</em></p><p>Suddenly, the light disappeared, plunging Pearl and the statue beside her into darkness. Pearl yelped, nearly dropping the lantern as she looked around. There wasn't anyone around; all she could see was the soft glow of lamps hanging off the buildings nearby. <em>Uh... did I break it? Maybe I can find someone who can fix it, or -</em></p><hr/><p>"<em>Pearl, what's that you're holding?" Pearl's mother asked. "May I see it?"</em></p><p>"<em>Uh huh," Pearl said, holding up an old radio in one hand. "I found it in the back of the garage."</em></p><p>"<em>Oh, that thing? It barely works anymore, and it doesn't even turn on half the time. I had meant to throw it out," Pearl's mother said. "What do you want with it?"</em></p><p>"<em>I wanna see what's inside," Pearl said, holding up a screwdriver and a pair of pliers in her other hand. "I wanna try and fix it."</em></p><p>"<em>That's nice, dear, but I think you should leave the fixing to your father. He's quite the smart one," Pearl's mother said.</em></p><p>"<em>I can do it," Pearl insisted, making her way over to the kitchen and pulling up a seat. She placed the radio on the table and set both of her hands upon it before closing her eyes.</em></p><p>"<em>Uh, dear?" Pearl's mother asked. "What are you doing?"</em></p><p>"<em>I can see inside it," Pearl muttered, concentrating on the radio in her hands. Slowly, the internal workings of the radio unfurled in her mind, presenting themselves to her as if they were blueprints laid out across her mind's eye. Amongst the parts and wires she saw, she noticed a flaw in the wiring by the speaker. Then, she opened her eyes. "I know what's wrong with it."</em></p><p>"<em>You could see inside it?" Pearl's mother asked. "What do you mean?"</em></p><p>"<em>I could... see it's insides, I guess," Pearl said, flipping the radio over and unscrewing the back panel. Using her pliers, she reached into the internals of the radio, pulling a loose wire into an open connection point and pulling it tight before putting the back cover back on and securing it. "One of the wires by the speaker had been jostled loose. I just put it back into place. I think it should work now."</em></p><p>"<em>Oh my. Is that true?" Pearl's mother asked, reaching over and switching the radio on. Sure enough, the radio began playing music loud and clear. "Wow, it sounds just like new! It seems your father isn't the only one around here who's good with technology."</em></p><p>"<em>You think he'll like it?" Pearl asked. "I wanna show him what I did when he gets back from work."</em></p><p>"<em>I'm sure he will," Pearl's mother said. "Maybe we can even find some more things you can fix."</em></p><p>"<em>That sounds fun," Pearl said, getting up and making her way to the garage. She began looking around, searching for anything else that looked like it needed fixing.</em></p><hr/><p><em>Huh? </em>Pearl thought, suddenly snapping back to reality. She was still standing in the dark next to the statue of the Lady, broken lamp in hand as she replayed the flash of memory in her head. <em>Was that... my semblance? Let me try it out...</em></p><p>"Now how do I do this..." Pearl muttered, looking down at the broken lamp in her hands. She focused on the lamp, and suddenly, images of parts and wiring came into her head, forming a cohesive schematic detailing the structure of the lamp she was holding. One notable aspect of the structure stuck out to her: an improperly connected tube right by the lamp's Dust feed.</p><p><em>I don't have any tools... hopefully this opens fine, </em>Pearl thought, turning the lamp over and pulling at the back panel. She smiled as it easily came open, then reached in to grab the faulty tube. While she couldn't see anything in the dark, she didn't need to, as her semblance told her exactly where everything was in the lamp's structure. After grabbing the tube and screwing it in place with her fingers, the lamp suddenly flashed back on, much brighter than it had been before and without any of the flickering from earlier.</p><p>"I did it!" Pearl exclaimed, giving herself a little cheer as she closed the back panel of the lamp and set it back at the base of the statue. "So that's my semblance..."</p><p>"Excuse me!"</p><p>Pearl heard a shout from behind her and turned to see a woman running up from one of the streets coming into the square. He was panting, and seemed quite out of breath. "Um... do you need something?" Pearl asked.</p><p>"Hah... yeah..." the woman said, stopping and taking a moment to catch her breath. "I need to get a message to the mayor. Or the town guard captain. Whoever manages the power situation here."</p><p>"Uh... I know where the guard house is," Pearl said. "What's wrong?"</p><p>"I was escorting a mechanic up here from Vale. He said something about needing to perform emergency repairs to bring a town's power back up," the woman explained. "But... we were ambushed by Grimm. Just an hour back. I barely got away, but..."</p><p>"The mechanic?" Pearl asked. "Where is he?"</p><p>"In a Beowolf's stomach," the woman said. "Your town's gonna have to find a new mechanic to get the power running."</p><hr/><p>"Huh. So you showed her to the guardhouse after that?" Mud asked, looking down over the edge of the watchtower to the field below. "What did the captain say?"</p><p>"Nothing much at first. He seemed quite frustrated, though," Pearl said. "I imagine it would be difficult to find and secure a new mechanic, especially with the CCT tower likely being down due to the outage..."</p><p>"Yeah, sounds like it'd suck," Mud said. "Always gotta watch out for Grimm while on the road, especially at night. They blend in way too well, even with their glowy eyes."</p><p>"It's quite unfortunate," Pearl said. "The town will have to go without power for... who knows how much longer."</p><p>"Yup. On the other hand, looks like you found your semblance. Means you got your aura already, somehow," Mud said, turning towards Pearl. "And that semblance sounds pretty useful. Ain't exactly 'driving off hordes of thousands' like the Lady's, but I can see it coming in handy with repairing and maintaining gear. Especially since you seem to be good with that already, with fixing that lantern and all."</p><p>"I guess that's true," Pearl said. She looked out of the watchtower down towards the town, which was mostly dark with dim lights dispersed throughout the streets. "What do you think we can do? To help the town, I mean?"</p><p>"What do you mean?" Mud asked. "We don't have to help them, you know. I was planning on just collecting my pay and heading up north once the shift's over."</p><p>"But... we could do something here to help. If they don't have their original mechanic, then maybe... I could go instead?" Pearl suggested. "I'm not sure how good I am at repairing things, but with a semblance like this, maybe I can help with something."</p><p>"We don't <em>have</em> to help them. I know I said I'm not in a rush, but I don't feel like wasting time heading up to repair something we don't even know if you can repair. Got better things to do with my time," Mud said. "Why do you even wanna help these guys, anyways? Not like you know anyone here."</p><p>"I know, but... this place seems nice. Nicer than Pike's Landing, at least. And to think that they'll have to go without power for who knows how long, staying in the dark, unable to use, well, anything that needs power, like a stove, a radio, the CCT relay..." Pearl said. "If there's something I can do to help, I would rather offer to help rather than just leave it alone. And besides... if you're looking to make it worth your time, maybe they'll pay us for it?"</p><p>"That's true. If they're desperate for a mechanic to fix their shit, they'll pay good money," Mud said, looking back out towards the fields surrounding the town.. "Alright, once my shift's over, we'll go have a talk with whoever we need to talk to. See if they want help getting their power back up. Until then, I guess you can sit tight here with me."</p><p>"Okay," Pearl said, gazing off into the night.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>A/N: And here's chapter 16! The two have arrived in Damstel, and it seems the power's out. On the bright side, Pearl's found her semblance, and it seems pretty useful. And what's up with the supposed Lady of Damstel? Stay tuned to find out!</p><p>Thanks as well to those who have read my story. And for those of you still reading, PLEASE don't hesitate to leave a comment. I'd love to know what my readers are thinking, and any feedback, criticisms, and comments are appreciated. Have a nice day!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0017"><h2>17. Pearl the Cable Girl</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 17: Pearl the Cable Girl</strong>
</p><p>"Here's your pay for the job," Sveltson said, handing Mud a small stack of Lien. "I'll let the bounty office in Pike's Landing know you did a good job. At least, once the power's back on."</p><p>"Yeah, about that," Mud said, taking and pocketing the money. "I heard your mechanic got axed on the way here. How long 'till you can get a new one?"</p><p>"Well, since the CCT relay tower isn't up, we have to send someone up to Pike's Landing to get the message to someone in Vale, who may or may not be able to send a mechanic up to here," Sveltson explained, leaning against the door of the guardhouse. "I'm estimating... maybe a week or two, minimum. Maybe more."</p><p>"You don't have to wait that long," Pearl said. "I... I think I could try fixing up whatever's wrong at the hydroelectric plant. I might be able to."</p><p>"For a decent price," Mud added. "Apparently, kid's a bit of a tinkerer. I dunno for sure if she can fix up your power problem, but if she can, we might be able to have it done by the end of the day."</p><p>"Are you sure?" Sveltson asked. "You'll have to forgive me for not trusting two kids with the task of fixing up a generator that's powering the entire town. Especially since you two just came into town last night."</p><p>"What, you got any other options?" Mud asked. "It's either that or possibly spend weeks in the dark. And it's not like we can bust it up beyond 'not working'. At least, unless we actually try to bust it up."</p><p>"Uh, mister Cinnabar?" Pearl asked. "I do want to help the town, so if you would please let me take a look at the generator, I would be grateful for - "</p><p>"Fine, you've made your point," Sveltson said, shaking his head. "The hydroelectric plant's about two miles up the road. Once you get to the river, head upstream. You can't miss it."</p><p>"Anything else you can give us?" Mud asked. "Information about the place? Any tools we can use? I carry some stuff, but not exactly what's needed to fix a generator."</p><p>"There should be tools at the hydroelectric plant. Hopefully that'll have what you need," Sveltson explained. "As for any information, well, a big thunderstorm rolled through here a few days ago. We think that might've had something to do with the generator going down, but I don't know too much about the specifics."</p><p>"Sorry if I'm getting ahead of myself, but... shouldn't there be someone in town who knows how to manage and repair the generator?" Pearl asked. "If it's that important to Damstel, then someone should be making sure this doesn't happen..."</p><p>"We have a small team of engineers and technicians who work with the hydroelectric plant, but most of them are volunteers or amateurs, and they haven't been able to bring it back online yet," Sveltson said. "Additionally, our senior engineer, who might have been able to fix things up without issue, passed away recently. He worked a late night once keeping the plant's generator in shape, and then he got ambushed by Grimm on his way back. We've been trying to find a replacement ever since, but..."</p><p>"Damn. All your mechanics getting eaten up," Mud said, turning to Pearl. "At least you'll have me to escort you. You sure you can fix this?"</p><p>"I... I can try," Pearl said. "At least, I should be able to tell what's wrong."</p><p>"Well, that's half of the way towards fixing something," Mud said, turning back to Sveltson. "If we manage to fix that thing, you better have a nice stack of Lien waiting for us."</p><p>"If the lights come back on, I'll have it ready by the time you've arrived," Sveltson said. Mud nodded, stepping away from the guardhouse and down the street towards the northern exit of town. Pearl followed her, pulling her cloak tight around her body.</p><p>"So, uh, if that engineer who could have been able to fix the generator was ambushed and killed by Grimm, then doesn't that mean we might also get ambushed?" Pearl asked. "I'd rather not meet the same fate."</p><p>"Relax. If we get ambushed, I'll be ready for it," Mud said, patting the pistol at her hip. "No Beowolf or Ursa is gonna get within ten feet of us. Probably."</p><p>"I mean... I know you seem skilled, but you're just one person," Pearl said. "It would be unwise to go out to repair the line with only one person capable of fighting the Grimm. What if you were to get injured?"</p><p>"Relax, it'll be fine. I've done solo missions before, and those turned out pretty well," Mud said. "Plus, who knows, maybe you're good at fighting and you just don't remember. Or maybe you got some neat weapons hiding somewhere under there. If I built a robot like the one you're in, I would at least include some sort of gun or weapon or something."</p><p>"I... sorry, but if there is, I don't know how to use it," Pearl said, looking over her arms as she searched for any sort of seams that could be hiding a hidden weapon. However, she found nothing. "If we get into a fight, you'll have to defend us both..."</p><p>"I told you, it'll be fine," Mud said, looking back at Pearl. "You just worry about how you're gonna repair that generator. While I can do a little bit of maintenance and mechanical work, I don't know shit about fixing something like that."</p><p>"Uh... okay."</p><p>"Also, my offer still stands if you wanna learn how to defend yourself," Mud said. "Though I doubt you'll be able to learn enough to fight off Grimm before we get to the plant."</p><p>"I'll, uh, think about it," Pearl said. The conversation died down as Pearl followed Mud down the street, out through the north exit of town, and up the road to where the plant was supposed to be.</p><hr/><p>After a few miles of walking on dirt roads going up and down, looking over the hills surrounding them as they occasionally made small talk, the two girls found themselves at a wooden bridge crossing over a river. It was a fairly sizable river, at least several dozen meters across, and the waters seemed to run quite deep. Branching off from the main road was another path, smaller and more rugged but still wide enough to allow a vehicle to pass through. By the path was a sign that said 'Damstel Power Plant: Authorized Personnel Only!'.</p><p>"Uh, I guess this is the place," Pearl said. She looked upstream to see a large concrete dam built across the river, with a small building built beside it. Power lines sprouting from that building extended to electrical towers further in the distance, making their way back to Damstel. "And I suppose that is the hydroelectric plant. Should we go in, or..."</p><p>"What do you think? Considering we're supposed to be fixing the fucking thing, I'd say we're as authorized as you can get," Mud said, walking past the sign towards the plant. She turned back towards Pearl. "Come on, we don't have all day."</p><p>"Sorry," Pearl said, following Mud down the path towards the plant. "Sveltson said that there's a small team of engineers who are supposed to manage the plant, right? Maybe they can help us fix it."</p><p>"Eh, if they weren't any help fixing the thing before we came along, I doubt they'll be much use," Mud said. "Though if it ends up being a problem that needs manpower, then I guess they can help."</p><p>"That's probably true..."</p><p>"So, what's the plan?" Mud asked. "You're just gonna scan the place with your semblance and figure out what the problem is?"</p><p>"That is what I have in mind. If the current team of engineers is having trouble repairing everything, my semblance should be able to help them identify each and every problem that needs repairing," Pearl said. "And if possible, I think I should be able to help on repairs as well."</p><p>"You... do know how to repair stuff, right?" Mud asked. "I know you told me you fixed that lamp last night, but turning a lamp back on is a lot different from fixing a broken power plant."</p><p>"I... the me in my memories seemed to be quite adept at fixing things at a young age," Pearl explained. "I am not yet sure of how much of a mechanic I am at present, but if my past self is any indication, then I feel as if I will at least not be useless."</p><p>"Eh, I guess we'll see. Hopefully, we can still get some cash if you just identify the problems, even if you don't actually fix them," Mud said. As they got closer to the plant, Pearl saw a small pickup truck parked outside of it. "Huh, looks like someone's already here."</p><p>"It's probably one of the engineers that works with the plant, right?" Pearl asked. "I don't see who else - "</p><p>"Uh, hello? Is someone there?" Pearl heard someone call out as a door on the building attached to the dam opened. A short woman, though not as short as Pearl, emerged from inside the building. She looked somewhat older than Mud, though still young, and she was wearing a long-sleeved shirt, denim suspenders, work gloves, and thick-rimmed glasses. "Excuse me, who are you? The power plant's not open for visitors today..."</p><p>"Um, actually - "</p><p>"We're here on a job to help get the plant back up and running," Mud said, interrupting Pearl. "You one of the plant's workers? Anyone else here?"</p><p>"Uh, it's just me right now," the woman said. "I'm sort of a morning person, so I like to arrive early."</p><p>"That seems odd," Pearl said, . "If the town doesn't have power, everyone should be trying to get that fixed as soon as possible."</p><p>"Well, it's five thirty in the morning. Everyone else is probably in bed," the woman said. "Oh, where are my manners? I'm Auburn Rustworth."</p><p>"My name is Pearl," Pearl said. "And is it really that early? I suppose it's easy to lose track of time if you don't sleep..."</p><p>"Mud," Mud said. "So, what's the problem here? Guard captain didn't exactly fill us in on the details."</p><p>"About a week ago, a heavy storm passed through the area. Heavy rains flooded the river and did some damage to the dam, and lightning fried a lot of the electronics in the plant," Auburn explained. "We've managed to fix a decent amount of the problems, but there's still a few things that we're not sure how to fix."</p><p>"Like what?" Pearl asked. "Shouldn't there be someone here who knows how to fix it?"</p><p>"Well, before he was ambushed by Grimm, our senior engineer was the only one who really knew anything about the plant. Even after he died, the plant was running fine until, well, just last week, so we never got around to hiring someone else with the know-how to fix that sorta stuff, and..." the woman said, trailing off. "Well, here we are."</p><p>"Huh," Mud said. "So, if I'm getting this right... you're all inept?"</p><p>"I... guess you could say that. Most of the team is young and inexperienced," Auburn said. "I just recently started working here, so I've been trying to figure things out, but I don't know the plant well enough to figure out how to fix what's wrong. Like I said, our team's actually managed to fix up most of the damage, but we still haven't been able to get everything up and running..."</p><p>"Well, hopefully we can help to fix up the mess you and your coworkers left here," Mud said, looking past Auburn towards the dam. "So, what still needs fixing?"</p><p>"Oh, of course! Follow me," Auburn said, making her way back into the building attached to the dam. Mud followed her into the building, with Pearl following close behind. Through the door was an old-looking control room with a series of panels, lights, and buttons, with a staircase leading down to the dam itself. "This is where we monitor and operate the plant's functions. Of course, it's offline right now, but when it does get up and running..."</p><p>"So, I guess the generator itself is down there?" Pearl asked, looking down the stairs. "We were told something was wrong with the generator... could I have a look at it?"</p><p>"Ah, about that. The generator and turbine that produce the plant's electricity are actually in decent shape, since our team focused on repairing that first," Auburn explained, leading the two down into the dam. They entered a long room with a large cylindrical jutting out of the wall, which Pearl assumed was the turbine. It was connected to a great series of machines, though none of them seemed to be running at the moment. "There's some other problems that we need to deal with, though. For example, our biggest problem right now is that the storm seems to have damaged the control gates, and now they're fixed shut."</p><p>"Control gates?" Mud asked.</p><p>"They're gates that control the flow of water into the turbine. Normally, we'd be able to open and close them from the control room, but after the storm, they haven't been responding," Auburn explained. "They're in the underwater intake tube, so it's near impossible to check on it without any sort of diving equipment. We asked the incoming repairman to be prepared for underwater repairs, but considering what happened..."</p><p>"Underwater repairs, huh?" Mud asked, turning towards Pearl. "You think you could do something like that? Considering, well..."</p><p>"Um... maybe?" Pearl said, turning towards Auburn. "I think I can take a look at the control gate for you."</p><p>"Huh? How'd you plan on doing that?" Auburn asked. "You got diving gear?"</p><p>"I, uh... I don't need it," Pearl said, loosening her cloak and pulling its hood off her head. "I'm, well..."</p><p>"She's got a robot body. Far as I know, she doesn't need to breathe, so she won't need diving equipment," Mud said, tapping her fist lightly against Pearl's shoulder. "Plus, her semblance should work really well to check what's wrong with the control gates."</p><p>"A robot? That's... odd," Auburn said, looking over Pearl's body. "And you have a semblance?"</p><p>"Yeah, I, uh... I can read the structures of objects, kinda like blueprints in my head," Pearl explained. "If I use it on the control gate, I might be able to find out what needs to be repaired."</p><p>"Well, if that's the case, then let's head outside and get that control gate checked out," Auburn said, making her way past Pearl and back up the stairs. "I'll grab some tools you might need from storage, so meet me by the shore of the river."</p><hr/><p>"Uh... are you sure this is going to work?" Pearl asked as she tightened the rope around her waist. She looked down towards the river, at the spot in the dam where the intake tube was supposed to be. "I don't really see the point of this..."</p><p>"You might be able to work fine underwater, but if you somehow get stuck down there, it'll be hard for us to come and get you," Mud explained, tugging on her end of the rope. "This way, we can just pull you out if something goes wrong."</p><p>"But... how will you know if something goes wrong?" Pearl asked, stepping closer to the water before looking back at Mud. "It's not like you'll be able to see me in the intake tube."</p><p>"Just tug on the rope a bunch and I'll pull you up," Mud said.</p><p>"I guess that works..." Pearl said, turning towards Auburn. "Should I take any tools down there? To see if I can fix the control gate?"</p><p>"I think you should just check it out first. See what sort of problem we're dealing with," Auburn said. "Once you figure that out, come back up and I can give you the proper tools for fixing that problem."</p><p>"Okay," Pearl said, turning back towards the river. She tried to take a deep breath in anticipation, only to remember that her body wasn't capable of doing so. "Here I go."</p><p>"Good luck," Mud said as Pearl made her way into the river, going deeper and deeper with every step. The water was cold, but it didn't seem to bother her. After all, she couldn't catch hypothermia in her current body. As the water went over her head, she made sure to keep her mouth closed, though she wasn't sure if that mattered. Once she had made her way deeper down the river, she looked around, spotting a hole in the side of the dam through the dark and murky river water.</p><p><em>That must be the intake tube,</em> Pearl thought. She slowly walked towards the opening, which was barely tall enough for her to stand in. Though she was heavy enough to sink to the riverbed and walk as if she was on land, it was still somewhat awkward to move underwater, and she was having trouble moving around quickly. As she made her way inside the intake tube, she realized something: she couldn't see a thing. <em>Should I go up and get a flashlight? Or, maybe...</em></p><p>Pearl concentrated, reaching out and placing her hands on the sides of the intake tube. After a few seconds, an image of the intake tube began to form in her mind, as well as what lay beyond it. Though Pearl couldn't see, she could tell that the control gate was only a few meters ahead, right before what seemed to be the plant's turbine. With that information now in her head, she stepped forward, stopping in front of the control gate.</p><p><em>Now, let's see what's wrong with you, </em>Pearl thought, placing her hands on the gate. An image of the control gate quickly began to form in her mind's eye, filling the darkness inside the intake tube as she used her semblance to search for any sort of problem. <em>The mechanism for bringing the gate up and down seems fine, and the gate itself isn't damaged or anything, so... hey, what's that?</em></p><p>Pearl reached up, grabbing the end of what seemed to be a small log wedged between the gate and the mechanism that pulled the gate up. It was slightly smaller than Pearl herself and lodged in quite hard, holding fast when she gave it a quick tug. <em>Maybe some debris from the storm Auburn mentioned? I guess that's what's causing the problem. I wonder, could I pull this out?</em></p><p>Bracing her feet against the control gate, Pearl grabbed the log, pulling at it with more force this time. Though it stayed wedged against the gate, it began to budge a little more, though not enough to remove it from its current position. <em>If I just had a little more force... wait, hm. That might work.</em></p><p>Reaching down, Pearl untied the rope that was wrapped around her waist. Then, she tied it around the end of the log, pulling it tight to make sure that it would hold. She gave two quick, hard tugs on the rope to signal Mud, and the rope suddenly went taut, pulling at the log with much greater force than Pearl had exerted upon it. It jerked in place once, then twice, then the entire log burst free of the gate.</p><p><em>Yes!</em> Pearl thought, feeling the gate pull upwards. Suddenly, she felt a strong current hit her back, sweeping her off her feet and pushing her down the intake tube. Pearl let out a surprised gasp that was muffled by the water as she flailed about in the darkness. Her hand brushed against something - the log, judging by the wooden texture - and she grabbed onto it, holding onto it with as much strength as her robotic fingers could muster. <em>Opening the gate must have caused water to start flowing down the tube... hopefully, Mud can pull me out of here.</em></p><p>Reaching up with her other arm to get a more secure grip on the log, Pearl looked up to see the opening to the intake tube getting closer and closer as the rope pulled the log along. As she passed by the opening, she grabbed the edge of the tube, letting go of the log and pulling herself out of the current. She quickly made her way back above water and onto the shore, where she saw Mud pull up the log with the rope.</p><p>"Huh, the hell's this?" Mud asked, turning towards Pearl as she untied the rope from the log. "What happened down there? I get the signal to pull you up and I get some driftwood?"</p><p>"Well, uh... the problem was some debris locking up the control gate. That's what I had you pull out," Pearl explained, looking over her body. Though she was still wet, it didn't bother her too much. "I couldn't pull it out myself, so I got you to pull it out for me, though I almost got swept away when the gate opened up..."</p><p>"You could've just came up and got another rope, you know?" Mud said. "Don't wanna hear about you getting shredded up in the plant's turbines. Assuming they're strong enough to shred you up, that is. I dunno how strong your body is."</p><p>"Well, not stronger than you, considering you managed to pull out the log when I couldn't," Pearl said, looking around. "Where's Auburn?"</p><p>"She ran back into the plant when she heard the gate go up," Mud explained. "Probably checking to see if it's working or something, I don't know - "</p><p>"You did it!" Pearl heard Auburn shout. She looked over to see her running towards them from the entrance of the plant. "The control gate works! We should be able to get the turbines up and running now."</p><p>"So the plant's fixed? Just like that?" Mud asked. "Huh. I thought it'd be harder."</p><p>"Well... not exactly. There's still a decent amount of repairs to be made before the plant's back up and running at full capacity," Auburn explained. "But since the generator is working and we have water running through the turbines again, we should be able to provide Damstel with at least some power. It won't be stable, and it won't be enough to supply energy to the whole town, but it'll be better than nothing."</p><p>"I guess that's good," Pearl said. "How soon will you be able to get power to the town?"</p><p>"Now that the turbine's running, it shouldn't take too long," Auburn said, heading back into the plant. Pearl and Mud followed her through the door into the control room, where they saw Auburn tapping and flipping various buttons and switches as she looked across the array of lights and monitors. After about a minute, she took a step back and let out a breath. "Well, it isn't much, but Damstel should be getting at least some power right now. It's nice to get things back online."</p><p>"I'll radio in, check if it's gone through on the other end," Mud said, pulling a radio out of her pocket. Pearl watched her fiddle with it for a moment before putting it up to her ear. "Hey, Sveltson, this is Mud."</p><p>Some chatter came out from the radio's speaker, too soft for Pearl to hear.</p><p>"Yeah, we got the power up. Well, not fully up, but there should be at least some of it."</p><p>Some more chatter.</p><p>"What do you mean? It's supposed to be up and running," Mud said, turning towards Auburn as she set down the radio. "It is sending power, right?"</p><p>"Uh... yeah, it is," Auburn said. "Is something wrong?"</p><p>"I dunno, maybe," Mud said, putting the radio back up to her mouth. "Yeah, it's up. You sure you ain't getting anything?"</p><p>More chatter.</p><p>"Damn. Well, I'll see what we can do," Mud said, turning off the radio and putting it in her pocket. Then, she turned to Auburn. "They ain't getting power. You absolutely sure this place is up and running?"</p><p>"It... should be. I'm fairly certain," Auburn said, looking back over the various screens and lights. "Everything is indicating that power is being sent from this facility to the town. They're sure they're not getting power?"</p><p>"Sveltson seemed pretty damn sure," Mud said. "Maybe your readings are funky or something?"</p><p>"Some of the measurement instruments were damaged by the storm, but we made sure to repair them. They should be working," Auburn said. "We're sending power, but they're not receiving it..."</p><p>"Um... Auburn? I have a question," Pearl said. "If there was something preventing the power from getting to town, like a break in the power lines, would you be able to detect it from here?"</p><p>"Huh, that's a good point. The monitoring equipment is pretty old, so we would have trouble tracking something like that from here," Auburn said. "It's not unlikely that the storm might have taken down a power line. That would prevent electricity from reaching the town, even with the plant up and running..."</p><p>"So, what's the deal? We find and fix wherever the power line broke?" Mud said. "Doesn't seem that hard. Just follow the power lines until we find where it got cut."</p><p>"I guess that's an option," Auburn said, turning away and hitting a few more buttons. "I'll turn off the power and get you some repair kits, and you two can go repair the line."</p><p>"What do you mean?" Pearl asked. "Are you not coming?"</p><p>"No, I think I'll stay and see what else I can do to fix up the plant," Auburn said. "Plus, the power lines run over the fields, and there's a decent amount of Grimm out there, and... well, after the senior engineer got ambushed on the job, I don't really wanna chance an encounter with a Beowolf. But since you're a mercenary and all..."</p><p>"Huh. Guess I'll at least get to shoot something today," Mud said, turning to Pearl. "If we find the downed line, you think you can handle repairs?"</p><p>"As long as it isn't too bad, I think I should be able to fix it," Pearl said. She turned towards Auburn. "So, uh... how easy is it to use those repair kits you mentioned?"</p><p>"Oh, it's simple! It's basically just pulling the two wires together and using a special sleeve to hold them in place. Just make sure you ground the line before you start, since there might be some leftover juice in the lines and you probably don't want a few hundred thousand volts running through your body," Auburn said. "I'll go grab them so that you two can get going, along with some extra tools in case it ends up being more than just a broken line."</p><p>As Auburn headed downstairs to grab the repair kits, Pearl looked back out the door towards the power lines heading off towards Damstel. <em>If I've got Mud to protect me from the Grimm, then I should be fine repairing the power line,</em> she thought. <em>Then we'll be able to get power back to the town. This shouldn't be too hard.</em></p><hr/><p>"Well?" Mud asked as Pearl approached the electrical tower. "What's it look like?"</p><p>"I don't see anything wrong, at least from down here," Pearl said, placing her hands on the base of the tower. She concentrated, and an image of the tower's structure appeared in her mind's eye, a four-sided crisscross of metal beams and struts that rose up high into the sky and suspended the wires that sent power to Damstel. After looking over it for a few moments, she stepped away. "Sorry, I, uh, couldn't find anything. We'll have to check the next one."</p><p>"That's fine. We still got, uh..." Mud said, trailing off as she looked towards the power lines trailing off into the distance. Pearl took the time to adjust the bag she had slung over her shoulder, which contained the repair kit and tools Auburn had given her. "Fuck, that's a lotta towers. And a lotta walking. Well, it ain't like we got anything better to do today, and we're getting paid for it, so..."</p><p>"Yeah, uh... I guess we should proceed, then," Pearl said as she started walking over to the next tower. She looked back at Mud, who was walking behind her. Though Mud carried herself in a fairly casual manner, letting her rifle droop lazily by her side as she hummed to herself, her eyes still darted about the hills and grasslands surrounding the two, presumably watching for any sign of a Grimm ambush. She occasionally looked behind herself, making sure that nothing would be able to sneak up on them. "Um... how likely do you think it'll be that we'll be attacked by Grimm? And what should I do if we do get attacked?"</p><p>"Well, considering they were able to build these towers and keep them up, this area probably ain't got too much Grimm. Still gotta be careful, though. Just stick with me and I'll take care of them," Mud said, checking over her rifle before going back to watching for anything out of the ordinary. "And you ever had an encounter with Grimm? I mean, I know you haven't since I met you, but you remember anything before then?"</p><p>"Uh... not really. I think I lived with my dad in Atlas... and I guess my mom, too," Pearl said, thinking back over what she could remember of her flashbacks. "I don't think I really had the opportunity to, well, encounter any Grimm."</p><p>"Makes sense. Not gonna see any Grimm if you're in the middle of the city. Means you got the better end of the stick," Mud said. "You said something about your mom? You remember anything about her? I know your dad's a scientist or something, but what's she?"</p><p>"I... I'm not sure. The only memory I have of her right now is when I discovered my semblance," Pearl explained. "But she seemed nice. And whenever I think about her... I feel somewhat warm inside."</p><p>"Yeah, I guess that's kinda how moms are supposed to be," Mud said. "The way things are going, I won't be surprised if you start remembering more about her and your life with her in Atlas. Maybe she'll be there, too. With your dad, I mean."</p><p>"I, uh... yeah, hopefully," Pearl said. "What about you?"</p><p>"Huh?"</p><p>"You, um, said that you were looking for your sister, right?" Pearl asked, turning back towards Mud. "What about the rest of your family?"</p><p>"It's... well, I guess it's mostly my sister. Dad wasn't around, and I didn't see my mom much. After she died, Resina did most of the work raising me," Mud explained, looking behind herself for a moment before turning back towards Pearl. "Guess you could say she was kinda my mom, in that sense."</p><p>"I... I'm sorry to hear that. About your mom, I mean," Pearl said. "Uh... if you don't mind me asking, what happened to her?"</p><p>"I'm not really sure. She was a Huntress, and she'd be away more often than she was at home. On missions or something, I guess. My sister took care of me when she was away," Mud explained. "Then, one time, she just never came back. Just left us back home to fend for ourselves."</p><p>"She just left you two?" Pearl asked. "Are you sure? How do you know she's not out there somewhere? Like, uh, your sister?"</p><p>"I don't really know myself. But Resina... one day, about a month after our mom left for the last time, it was like she suddenly knew. That our mom was dead, I mean. Maybe she got a message or something from somewhere, but I dunno," Mud explained. "From then on, it was just the two of us. Until we got separated, anyways."</p><p>"I... I see," Pearl said, turning back forwards towards the upcoming electrical tower. She looked up at where the power lines connected to the tower. Though she couldn't make out the details all the way from the ground, it looked to her to be frayed, burnt, and barely hanging onto the tower itself. "I think we might have found our problem."</p><p>"Yup. I guess it took a lightning strike or something," Mud said, craning her neck upwards. "You okay with climbing up there to fix it?"</p><p>"Uh, I'm not sure if I, uh..." Pearl started to say, pausing to look up at the top of the tower. It looked quite high up. Too high. And there were no stairs or ladders leading to the top; instead, a crisscrossing of steel beams and struts was all she could pull herself up on. "It's just, uh..."</p><p>"Wait. Be quiet," Mud suddenly ordered, interrupting Pearl. Pearl followed her command as Mud turned around, scanning her eyes over the fields and hills. She heard Mud swear under her breath as she turned back towards Pearl. "Something nasty's coming. Start climbing; I'll cover you from down here."</p><p>"But, I, um, I don't think I can - "</p><p>
  <em> <strong>AWOOOO!</strong> </em>
</p><p>"You hear that? Sooner you get that repair done, sooner we can get out of here and away from all the Grimm that's coming," Mud said, pushing Pearl towards the tower. In the distance, Pearl saw a horde of black wolf-like creatures coming over a nearby hill, running through the grasslands towards them. "Now get up there!"</p><p>"Uh... I'll try," Pearl said, adjusting her bag and looking up at the top of the tower. She tried to take a deep breath to steel herself mentally, only to be reminded once again that she was incapable of doing so. Her hands were shaking as she grabbed the first strut, pulling herself upwards. Her own strength surprised her; even though she was completely made of metal, her arms were able to easily handle the weight of her body, allowing her to easily pull herself onto the beams and struts running across the length of the tower. She carefully balanced on the beam before grabbing the next beam above her and pulling herself onto that one, and then the next one after that, and then the one after that, maintaining a steady rhythm. <em>Yeah, I can do this... just need to focus...</em></p><p>Then, she looked down.</p><p>"Ah!" Pearl cried out, holding on tight to the strut next to herself. Though she was only a little more than half a dozen meters above the ground, it felt like so much more. A feeling of vertigo ran through her head, and she clutched the steel strut beside her as she suddenly realized how thin the beam she was balancing on was. <em>If I fall from here... or up even higher...</em></p><p>"The hell're you doing? You got a long way to go!" Mud shouted up at her before turning towards the quickly-approaching Beowolves. She raised her rifle, letting loose a hail of bullets that tore through several of the incoming Grimm. "Get climbing!"</p><p>"Sorry, it's just..." Pearl started to say, trailing off as her words were drowned out by the gunfire from Mud. She watched as Mud ducked underneath a Beowolf's lunge, then pierced its body with a burst of gunfire. Before its dissipating body had even hit the ground, Mud turned and shot another Beowolf straight through the head, causing it to go limp and tumble into the dirt next to her. A third Beowolf darted past Mud, leaping up towards Pearl. She gasped, freezing in place as she watched it fly up to her, only to watch as a bullet pierced through its skull and sent it back to the ground.</p><p>"Look, you wanted to help Damstel get their power back on, right?" Mud shouted up to her, reloading her rifle as more Beowolves approached her. "Then suck it up and get up there! Or are you so much of a coward that you won't do what you said you'd do just cause it's a little too high?"</p><p>"I... sorry, you're right," Pearl said, though her words were obscured by the loud bangs of gunfire and the howls of Beowolves. She looked up, tuning out the noises from the fight below her as she reached up again, pulling herself onto the beam above her as she continued her climb up the tower. After pulling herself up several more times, she felt a cold wind blow against her back. She nearly turned her head to look back down, but then shook her head. <em>No point in it. What matters is climbing up to the top...</em></p><p>"One... two... three," Pearl muttered to herself, pulling her body up to the next beam above her. She didn't know exactly how high up she was, but the increasing intensity of the wind around her told her that she was pretty high. The broken power line was getting closer and closer, and a few more struts marked the distance between herself and her target. Pearl reached up, ready to get to the broken power line and start -</p><p>
  <em> <strong>SKREEEE!</strong> </em>
</p><p>Suddenly, something pierced into the strut next to her hand, causing Pearl to flinch away and nearly stumble off the tower. As she recovered, she looked up and saw a large black feather embedded into the metal beside her hand. A large black bird-like Grimm, with a wingspan wider than the tower she was climbing and a cap of white armor covering its head and face, flew past the tower, screeching as it began to loop around.</p><p>"Uh, Mud? I need some assistance!" Pearl shouted, keeping her eyes on the bird Grimm - a Nevermore, if she remembered her Grimm names correctly. She glanced down for a moment, only to see Mud still occupied fighting the Beowolves from before, as well as a couple of Ursas that had joined the fight. Though she was able to fend off the horde of Grimm by herself, pushing them back with a barrage of bullets as she avoided each and every attack made upon her, it seemed that she was too preoccupied to be able to help with Pearl's predicament. Or she may not have even heard her; it was entirely possible that the wind had carried away her cries for help. Either way, Pearl was on her own, trapped on a thin beam near the top of the tower with the Nevermore circling back towards her.</p><p><em>I need to think... what can I do?</em> Pearl wondered, keeping a hand on the tower to stabilize herself. Her mind wandered to the bag slung over her shoulder, and she reached down, unzipping and searching through it as she looked for anything she could use to fend off the Nevermore. Eventually, her hand grabbed something solid and metal, and she pulled a wrench out from the bag. As Pearl looked back up, she saw the Nevermore quickly approaching, raising its wings for another volley of piercing feathers</p><p>"Um... take this!" Pearl shouted, throwing the wrench at the approaching Nevermore. However, her current positioning prevented her from throwing with any sort of strength, and the wrench simply bounced off the Nevermore's skull without doing any damage. Despite that, being bonked by the wrench caused it to falter, throwing it off slightly as it flapped its wings and threw a hail of piercing feathers towards Pearl.</p><p>"Eep!" Pearl cried out as she closed her eyes, stepping to the side and hugging the steel strut next to her in an attempt to avoid the incoming projectiles. When she opened her eyes, she saw that while she had somehow avoided any feathers piercing into her, the tower around her hadn't been as lucky. Several feathers had pierced through the part of the beam where she was just standing, the force of their impact bending it inwards and causing it to snap. No longer held in place from one side, the part of the beam beneath Pearl began to bend downwards due to her weight, and she quickly reached up to grab the beam above her, pulling herself up before her footing gave way beneath her and sent her plummeting all the way to the ground.</p><p>
  <em> <strong>SKREEE!</strong> </em>
</p><p>As Pearl pushed herself onto her feet, she saw the Nevermore circle around another time, ready to shower her with another barrage of piercing feathers. She knew that she wouldn't be able to repeat her stunt with the wrench another time; the Nevermore would likely be wary of anything she would throw at it this time. And with the sounds of gunfire continuing far below, she had no idea if she could rely on Mud for assistance. Pearl needed something else. She needed some sort of weapon -</p><hr/><p>"<em>Father, could I ask you something?" Pearl asked, taking the blueprint from the table and making her way over to where her father was working. She put the blueprint on the desk in front of him, pointing to one particular spot. "What is this? You're installing some sort of... weapons system?"</em></p><p>"<em>Ah, yes," Pearl's father said, adjusting his glasses as he looked over the blueprint. "It's a prototype that builds upon the energy weapons that many combat robots already employ, with greater power and efficiency than anything currently in production. It still does require quite a bit of energy, but I think the DustCore generator should be able to handle it."</em></p><p>"<em>Father... I'm not so sure about installing weapons in this body," Pearl said. "If this is to eventually be mine, well... I'm not sure how comfortable I would be with such firepower in my systems. I... I don't even know how to throw a punch, much less use weapons as sophisticated as that."</em></p><p>"<em>Well, it is unfortunately a necessity of the project. With the Atlas Military funding Green Ocean and our project, we have to make some accommodations in order to please our sponsors and meet their demands, or else we wouldn't have the materials or funding to do this in the first place," Pearl's father explained. "If it helps, I've designed it so that the weapons system hides seamlessly into your body. It'll be like it's not there at all, until you actually want to use it."</em></p><p>"<em>I... alright, if you must add it, then I won't object," Pearl said. "But I'm still not sure - "</em></p><p>
  <em>Suddenly, Pearl collapsed, falling to her knees as a series of painful coughs pushed up from her lungs and out of her mouth. Pearl's father shot out of his chair, kneeling down beside her. "Are you alright, dear? What's wrong?"</em>
</p><p>"<em>Sorry, I... it's nothing. Nothing worse than before, anyways. The pain should go away soon, you don't have to worry about it," Pearl said, clutching her aching chest as she pushed herself up. "As I was saying, I'm still not sure about installing weapons into this body. I might accidentally hurt someone..."</em></p><p>"<em>If you're sure you're fine, then.." Pearl's father said, trailing off as he went back to his chair. "And about the weapon system, like I said, there's not much I can do about it, though hopefully, Green Ocean or the Atlas Military could arrange some weapon courses for you. And perhaps you could integrate some of your own work into it, if you would like? You're already helping quite a bit with the design, and I could convince the higher-ups to allow some extra additions off the original plans, if it would make you feel better."</em></p><p>"<em>I... I think I would like that. Thank you," Pearl said, taking the blueprint and making her way back to her own desk. Once there, she began brainstorming, scribbling up various ideas as she tried to figure out something of her own to add to the blueprints.</em></p><p>
  <em>Something of her own to add to her future body.</em>
</p><hr/><p>"Weapons system online. Target identification module online. Thermogenic beam charging..."</p><p>As a robotic voice rang out in Pearl's head, she felt her right arm shifting, changing into something different. She looked down and saw her hand and arm splitting apart and shifting back, molding her forearm into a more cylindrical shape. An intense heat pulsated from her chest into her arm, but it didn't seem to hurt. As Pearl looked back up, she saw the Nevermore flying up towards her, ready to flap its wings and pierce her through with feathers. A red glow highlighted the Nevermore's figure, and a deluge of information poured into her mind about the Grimm hovering in the air in front of her, ranging from general information about its species to specific things like the Nevermore's estimated size and weight.</p><p>"Charge complete," the voice in Pearl's head said. Pearl raised her arm, now turned into a cannon, at the Nevermore hovering in front of her as she braced herself against the tower.</p><p>"G-go away!"</p><p>
  <strong>BWAAAAAAAAAaaaam!</strong>
</p><p>Pearl didn't know exactly how she fired her arm cannon, though she assumed it was through some sort of mental command. However, what mattered was that she fired it, emitting a blinding ray of heat and light from her arm that burned through everything in its path. It incinerated the feathers flying through the air at Pearl before piercing through the Nevermore itself, leaving a charred, gaping hole where its head and upper body used to be.</p><p>"Ah!" Pearl cried out, stumbling back and toppling off the beam she was standing on. The recoil from the attack seemed just as intense as the attack itself, and had Pearl not been bracing herself, she likely would have flown clean off the tower. Instead, she managed to grab onto the beam she had been standing on with her left hand, hanging on for dear life. As she looked up, she saw the falling body of the Nevermore disintegrating into nothing. She gave herself a little mental cheer and looked up, ready to continue -</p><p>
  <em> <strong>SKREEE!</strong> </em>
</p><p>"Oh no," Pearl muttered to herself as she spotted another Nevermore, larger than the first, approaching the tower. Whatever targeting system she had in her head once again highlighted the quickly-approaching Grimm in her vision, feeding her another deluge of information she didn't particularly need at the moment. She raised her arm cannon, mentally commanding it to fire -</p><p>"Error. Cooling down. Ready to fire in ten..."</p><p>- only for nothing to come out.</p><p>"I don't have ten seconds!" Pearl cried out, watching the Nevermore quickly approach. Instead of circling around and firing feathers at her, this one opted for a more direct approach, and she could only watch as it swiftly flew up to her, talons outstretched and ready to pluck her from -</p><p>
  <strong>Bang!</strong>
</p><p>Suddenly, the Nevermore's head jerked as a bullet pierced through the underside of its neck, exiting out through one of its red eyes. A dozen more bullets followed, riddling the Nevermore with holes and making it screech one more time before falling to the ground and dissipating. Pearl looked down to see Mud at the base of the tower waving up at her, the area around her clear of Grimm.</p><p>"Thank you, Mud!" Pearl shouted downwards as she mentally commanded her arm to transform back into, well, a proper arm. Fortunately, it did so, and she used it to pull herself back up onto her feet. "I... I'm sorry you had to rescue me like that!"</p><p>"Don't worry about it! I'm all cleaned up down here!" Mud shouted back. "And what the hell was that?! I heard a loud noise and saw you blow up a Nevermore, the fuck happened up there?!"</p><p>"I'll, uh, I'll explain later!" Pearl shouted down to Mud. "I'm, uh, a bit tired! Let me fix up the power and get back down to you!"</p><p>"Sounds good!" Mud shouted, and Pearl began making her way up to the top of the tower, where the broken power line was waiting. Hopefully, she wouldn't have any more encounters with Grimm on the way up there.</p><hr/><p>"So you two helped out at the plant and repaired part of the power line?" Sveltson asked, looking over the two girls. "And if I call up the plant, they'll tell me the same thing?"</p><p>"Your electricity's back on, right?" Mud asked, pointing at the lights overhead. "I know it ain't back to full power, but that should be proof enough."</p><p>"And, uh, I think Auburn can vouch for us," Pearl said, adjusting the hood on her cloak. "She helped us at the plant and gave us the tools to fix the power line."</p><p>"Alright, give me a second," Sveltson said, turning around as he dialed something on his scroll. After a brief conversation, he hung up and turned back towards the girls. "Seems you two check out. Thanks for helping out the town, and lemme grab what I owe you."</p><p>"You're, uh, welcome," Pearl stammered out as Sveltson went into a room in the back, leaving the two girls alone.</p><p>"So, what the hell was that you did at the tower?" Mud asked, turning towards Pearl. "Didn't know you had any weapons in you."</p><p>"I, uh, didn't either," Pearl said. She raised her right arm, shifting it into a cannon. "Turns out, I kinda did, I think."</p><p>"Huh. Reminds me of what the Atlesian Knights have, with the whole transforming arms into weapons thing," Mud muttered. She leaned down, looking over the cannon and tapping against it once or twice. "So this fired off that big fuck-off beam?"</p><p>"Yeah. As far as I can tell, it emits a blast of extreme heat and energy," Pearl explained, shifting her arm back to normal. "It takes some time to charge and cool down, though. I couldn't use it against the second Nevermore, so uh, thank you again for saving me there."</p><p>"Don't mention it," Mud said. "So, how'd you figure out how to use it? People don't normally have cannons in their arms, so I dunno how it feels."</p><p>"I, um... I had another memory flash," Pearl said. "It was about my father. Apparently, he installed weapons in this body by request from the Atlas Military, or something along those lines. After that, I guess it all came instinctively."</p><p>"Huh. I guess if it's a part of you, it might just come naturally," Mud muttered. "So your dad made your body? Was it for Green Ocean or something? You said they have a lotta contracts with Atlas's military, so..."</p><p>"Yes, but not just my father, I believe," Pearl said. "I think I had a hand in its development as well. In a sense... I guess you could say that I made me. Or at least, this body."</p><p>"Huh. I guess that's not too surprising; you seem like a bit of a tinkerer already," Mud said. "Seen a decent amount of guys with robot arms and legs and stuff. Guess a robot body is just one step further. Wonder what happened to your original one, though."</p><p>"That is a good point. I remember mentioning that this body would be for me, but I'm not sure as to why," Pearl said. She strained her mind, trying to dredge up any other memories she could find, but met no success. "Sorry, but I don't really remember - "</p><p>"Sorry, things were kinda messy in the back," Sveltson interrupted, appearing once again from the back room with a wad of Lien in hand. He handed it to Mud, who counted it out before nodding and pocketing the money. "There's your pay. And thanks again for helping to get the power back up."</p><p>"You're welcome!" Pearl replied as Mud nodded again, and the two girls departed from the guardhouse, making their way back onto the street. "So, uh, what should we do now?"</p><p>"I was thinking a quick lunch before heading up north to the next town over," Mud explained, taking out the Lien and counting out some of it. She held it out to Pearl. "Here's your share."</p><p>"You, uh, you can hold onto it," Pearl said. "I'm not really sure what I'd use it for... and besides, I don't think I have any pockets."</p><p>"If you say so. Looks like I'm buying for both of us, then," Mud said with a grin as she pocketed the money. "How's barbecue sound? To celebrate completing your first job, and cause you barbecued that Nevermore with your arm cannon thing?"</p><p>"That, uh... I don't think I've had that before, but it sounds good," Pearl said, nodding. "Yeah, I'd like that."</p><p>"Alright! Let's see if we can find a barbecue joint somewhere around," Mud said, and the two girls set off into town.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>And that's chapter 17! Damstel's power is back on, Pearl's figured out how to kill things, and the two girls can continue on their journey towards Atlas. What awaits them further ahead? Stay tuned!</p><p>Thanks as well to those who have read, followed, and favorited my story. And for those of you still reading, PLEASE don't hesitate to leave a review. I'd love to know what my readers are thinking, and any feedback, criticisms, and comments are appreciated. Have a nice day!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0018"><h2>18. F is for</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"<em>No, that won't work," Pearl muttered, grabbing the eraser from the side of her desk and rubbing out what she had just sketched onto the blueprint. "Maybe if I configure it like this..."</em></p><p>"<em>What's that?" Pearl turned to see Resina standing at the door of her room, looking at Pearl's desk. "Sorry, the door was open, and I got a little curious. I can go away, if you want."</em></p><p>"<em>No, uh, it's fine," Pearl said, putting her pencil down on the desk before pulling the blueprint off the table and showing it to Resina. "It's, uh, something I'm designing. For my father's project."</em></p><p>"<em>Ah. Well, I can't say I understand all this technical stuff," Resina said, looking over the blueprint. "But I'm surprised someone as young as you is helping your dad out with his work. What's it for, exactly? If you're alright with telling me?"</em></p><p>"<em>It's, uh... well, I'm not sure how much I can tell you about the project. After all, it's technically a Green Ocean project, and I think it might be kinda confidential," Pearl said, moving the blueprint back to her desk. "But what I'm designing, it's, uh - "</em></p><p>
  <em>Suddenly, pain flared from Pearl's chest as she lurched forward, coughing loudly and uncontrollably. She felt a hand on her shoulder and looked up to see Resina's face, which had been contorted into a concerned-looking frown.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Are you okay?" Resina asked. "What's wrong? Is there something I can do?"</em></p><p>"<em>Sorry, it's just... no, there's nothing you can really do. You shouldn't worry yourself about me," Pearl said, wiping up some saliva that had leaked onto her chin as the coughing fit ended. She sat back up and looked at Resina. "Though, thank you for worrying."</em></p><p>"<em>Well, it's the least I can do while I'm staying with you. Really, I should be thanking you and your father for letting me stay here," Resina said. "By the way, is it just you and your father here? No other family or anything?"</em></p><p>"<em>I, uh..." Pearl started to say, trailing off as she looked away. "Mother used to live with us, but..."</em></p><p>"<em>Oh, uh, you don't have to tell me. I'm sorry I asked," Resina said. "I guess it must be lonely, being here by yourself while your dad goes to work."</em></p><p>"<em>It's fine! It's hard for me to leave the house anyways due to my condition, but... it gives me a lot of time to design things for my father and Green Ocean. I'm even considered an employee! Though it is mostly just a remote part-time position, kind of like an internship," Pearl said with a smile. "They even pay for my online schooling. And sometimes, on days when I'm feeling stronger, my father takes me to the lab, and I help him with his work!"</em></p><p>"<em>Wow, an employee of a tech company? At your age?" Resina asked. "I'm impressed! When I was your age, all I did was play around and help in the fields."</em></p><p>"<em>Uh, thanks. Anyways, it's nice to have someone around the house to talk to again, since - " Pearl started to say before she lurched forward once again, going into another coughing fit.</em></p><p>"<em>Are you sure you're fine?" Resina asked, leaning down towards Pearl. "That doesn't look, well..."</em></p><p>"<em>I'm, uh... this is normal, really," Pearl said as the coughs subsided. "Don't worry about me."</em></p><p>"<em>Look, it doesn't seem fine to me," Resina said, crossing her arms across her chest. "How about I whip up something for you? I made it all the time for my sister whenever she was sick and coughing herself into a coma."</em></p><p>"<em>You don't really need to," Pearl said. "I told you, I'm fine."</em></p><p>"<em>Are you sure? Least I can do, since you and your dad are letting me stay here for now," Resina said. "It's sweet. A nice mix of tea, honey, and lemon. Always helped whenever my sister or I got a bad cough."</em></p><p>"<em>I... sure, okay," Pearl said. "Thank you."</em></p><p>"<em>No problem," Resina said with a smile, heading out the door of Pearl's room before stopping and looking back. "By the way, you don't mind if I use your kitchen?"</em></p><p>"<em>That's fine," Pearl said. Resina flashed her a thumbs up before walking out the door and closing it behind herself.</em></p><hr/><p>
  <strong>Chapter 18: F is for</strong>
</p><p>"Hey, you there?"</p><p>"Huh?" Pearl said, shaking herself out of a daze. "What? Do you need something?"</p><p>"What do you mean, 'do you need something'? You've been blanking out for the last five minutes or so," Mud said, waving her hand in front of Pearl's face. "Anything wrong?"</p><p>"Um... not at the moment, no," Pearl said, looking around. After a nice lunch at a local barbecue joint in Damstel, the two girls had left the town, heading up to whatever was next up along the road to the northern tip of Vale. They had already been walking a few hours, and Damstel had long since faded behind the hills and grasslands of the area. Over the course of the journey, Pearl had become thankful of her robotic body for multiple reasons, the most significant of which were its resistance to the slowly-decreasing temperatures of the area and its inability to get tired.</p><p>"Are you sure? Looked like you had one of your flashbacks again," Mud said, turning and continuing down the road. Though Mud obviously wasn't a robot, it seemed that she wasn't any more bothered by the chilly air than Pearl was, and she was able to keep pace in front of Pearl without complaint despite the amount of gear she had in her backpack and on her person. "Did you? Have a flashback, I mean?"</p><p>"I, uh... I think so," Pearl said, thinking back as she followed Mud. "It was about your sister and me. A conversation we had."</p><p>"Huh," Mud said. "What about?"</p><p>"She was curious about something I was designing. From what I can remember of my conversation, it seems as though I was working for Green Ocean," Pearl said, thinking for a moment. "Perhaps as part of their development team? It was for some sort of project, but I can't seem to recall..."</p><p>"Huh, you? Hired at a company like that at your age?" Mud asked, rubbing her chin. "Though I guess you are kinda smart. Especially since you supposedly helped make that body of yours."</p><p>"I suppose so," Pearl said. "I also seemed to be coughing quite a lot... and apparently, I was often too weak to leave the house."</p><p>"Damn. Guess you weren't off too well with your previous body," Mud said. "When I was sick with the cold or something, my sis would make me this weird tea mix to help keep down my cough. Tasted odd, but helped push back the coughs."</p><p>"You mean tea with honey and lemon?"</p><p>"Yeah! You mean you know it?"</p><p>"Actually, uh, Resina offered to make it for me. In that memory, I mean," Pearl said. "I don't remember how it tasted, though..."</p><p>"Like I said, probably tasted weird," Mud said, turning back towards Pearl. "Anyway, you remember why she went up to see your dad? That's still a big mystery to me."</p><p>"I... I'm not sure, sorry," Pearl said, looking down for a moment. "All I know is that she wanted something of my father or Green Ocean relating to the soul, and that she seemed to be staying with us at the time."</p><p>"Huh. Didn't know she was crashing in people's places so often," Mud muttered. "Guess I should thank you for letting her stay at your place."</p><p>"Um... you're welcome? If I can be honest, it was most likely my father's decision," Pearl said. "And what do you mean about her crashing in places often? Has she done this before?"</p><p>"Eh, kinda a bit of a story. Few weeks ago, I was out in the southern parts of Vale and came across some girl who wanted to be a Huntress," Mud said, pausing for a moment. "I gave her some training and teaching, some stuff happened, and she passed the Beacon exam and now she's going to Beacon. Point is, turns out my sister crashed with her family a few years back before heading up to Vale, and then to Atlas to meet with your dad."</p><p>"In that case, it seems you're following the trail she left years ago," Pearl said. "I wonder where it will take you, assuming you get some sort of lead from my father."</p><p>"Hopefully I do," Mud said. The two fell silent for a minute, continuing their walk down the road. Then, Mud spoke up again. "Speaking of training, you want any of it?"</p><p>"Hm? What do you mean?"</p><p>"You know, your arm thing," Mud said, pointing down at Pearl's right arm. "You said you didn't know how to fight before, right? Well, now that you've got some high-tech super-cannon hiding in your arm, ain't it a good time to learn how to use it?"</p><p>"I, uh..." Pearl started to say, trailing off as she looked away for a moment. "I'm not really sure... it's just that I don't really..."</p><p>"Look, if you're nervous about using it, we can work that out," Mud said. "Besides, if we do run into some sorta trouble, you'll be better off if you know how to use it, right? I dunno exactly how that cannon of yours works, but I bet the basics of wielding it ain't any different than firing a gun."</p><p>"Uh... okay," Pearl said. "But... when? Right now?"</p><p>"Sure, unless you got something better to do," Mud said, checking her scroll. "We got plenty of daylight left, and next town shouldn't be too far."</p><p>"Um... alright," Pearl said. She concentrated, shifting her arm into its cannon mode. "If it will help, then I don't think I will mind a bit of training..."</p><p>"Hey, not here. Put that away," Mud said, gesturing towards Pearl's cannon. "Let's find somewhere away from the road, where we won't be disturbed."</p><p>"Sorry," Pearl said, shifting her arm back to normal as she followed Mud into the fields surrounding the road.</p><hr/><p>"Alright, this place looks good," Mud said, stepping up onto the peak of the hill. She looked back down at Pearl, who was following several meters behind. "I think this'll be a nice spot to figure out what you can do."</p><p>"Um... alright," Pearl said, stepping up next to Mud and looking around. Around the two girls was an expanse of grass, sloping down gently towards the base of the hill on all sides. Other than a few large rocks, trees, and other hills, there wasn't really much to the area, besides the road they had been traveling on some ways down the hill. They were close enough that they wouldn't have too much trouble getting back down there quickly, but far away enough that they wouldn't disturb any travelers that might pass by. "So, uh... what should I do? Should I shift my arm into the cannon, or - "</p><p>"Yeah, why not?" Mud said, falling backwards and sitting down next to Pearl. After looking around for a moment before pointing downhill. Pearl followed where she was pointing and saw a boulder jutting out of the ground, about as tall as she was. "You see that rock down there? Blast the fuck outta it."</p><p>"Um... okay," Pearl said, shifting her arm into its cannon mode. As she felt heat begin to circulate through her body and into her arm, she raised her cannon, pointing it as well as she could at the boulder Mud had pointed out. "Here I go!"</p><p>
  <strong>BWAAAAAAAAAaaaam!</strong>
</p><p>Like before, a few moments after she willed it, a beam of blinding light and searing heat burst forth from her arm, speeding outwards towards the rock. However, Pearl hadn't been able to see the impact, if there was any. Instead, the recoil of the blast threw her off of her feet and sent her tumbling backwards, her back hitting the dirt as she fell to the ground. Though it didn't hurt, Pearl still let out a small grunt, pausing for a moment before she pushed herself up into a sitting position.</p><p>"Uh... how was that?" Pearl asked, looking towards Mud.</p><p>"See for yourself," Mud said, pointing downhill again. Pearl followed her finger to see a trail of burnt grass running down from her firing position. Said trail missed the boulder entirely, instead veering off a few meters and leading up to a small tree that was further behind it - or rather, what was left of it. Most of the wood had been burned to cinders, and the surrounding grass was burnt and smoldering from the burst of heat that had radiated from the impact zone. "Could probably work on your aim, but fuck, that thing packs a punch."</p><p>"Oh, I missed..." Pearl muttered. She looked down at her arm cannon, which was currently cooling down. "I suppose I should have expected some recoil, considering what happened the first time."</p><p>"Don't sweat it. I was just as shit when I first started learning how to shoot," Mud said. "Learned fast, though. Had some good teachers."</p><p>"Really? Who taught you how to shoot a weapon?" Pearl asked, sitting down beside Mud. "Was it your sister?"</p><p>"Well, she kinda got me started. Gave me my first weapon, an old pistol we kept around the house. But it wasn't too long after that when, well..." Mud started to say before trailing off. "Anyways, did most of my training with a group of mercenaries. Called themselves the Gunmetals. Taught me a lot of what I know."</p><p>"Huh. I suppose that isn't too surprising, considering your current occupation," Pearl said. "They must be quite skilled, if they were able to teach you to your current state."</p><p>"Eh, they're good, but a lot of my shit is self-taught. Especially the stuff I learned after I left the group," Mud said, standing back up and looking down towards Pearl. "Alright, your boomstick's cooled down, right? How about we give that another try?"</p><p>"Um... okay, sure," Pearl said, standing up and raising her arm cannon towards the rock again. She felt heat circulating through her body once more as -</p><p>"Whoa, hold on there," Mud said, putting a hand on Pearl's shoulder.</p><p>"Huh?" Pearl asked, lowering her cannon. The heat pushing towards her arm dissipated through her body as she looked back towards Mud. "What is it? Am I doing something wrong?"</p><p>"Yup. You gotta have a proper stance when you shoot, especially when the weapon's as strong as whatever you got on your arm," Mud said, reaching down and pulling Pearl's legs into a more steady stance. "And make sure to brace yourself when you fire, cause that recoil's gonna send you flying if you ain't careful."</p><p>"Um, okay, I'll try," Pearl said, placing her left hand on her right arm to steady herself as she aimed towards the boulder. She widened her stance, trying to keep herself as firm as possible against the ground as she felt energy build up in her cannon. "Firing!"</p><p>
  <strong>BWAAAAAAAAAaaaam!</strong>
</p><p>This time, instead of sending Pearl tumbling to the ground, the recoil from the blast merely caused her to stumble backwards. She managed to catch herself this time, preventing herself from falling to the ground once more. Then, she looked up to see another line burnt into the grassy plains, this time leading straight into the boulder, which was now smoldering and smoking-hot. A large chunk had been gouged out of the boulder, scattered into fragments of smoldering rock that now surrounded the impact zone.</p><p>"Yeah, that's a lot better! And damn, you got a lot of energy in that thing. Don't wanna ever get hit by that," Mud said, looking over Pearl's arm cannon as it started to cool down. "Speaking of, I should probably teach you how to handle that thing safely, shouldn't I?"</p><p>"Um... yes, that would probably be the smart thing to do," Pearl said. "To be honest, I think we probably should have gone over safety before we even started firing at targets."</p><p>"Yeah, yeah, you're probably right. Not too good with this whole 'teaching' thing yet. But we didn't get hurt though, so all's good," Mud said, sitting back down and gesturing for Pearl to do the same. Pearl sat down next to Mud, reverting her arm back to normal. "Anyways, first thing I learned in safety is that you gotta treat your weapon like it's always loaded. Don't wanna go accidentally firing a gun you thought didn't have anything in it."</p><p>"Um... I think my weapon <em>is</em> always loaded, or at least it's always capable of firing as long as I have energy," Pearl said. "And besides, if my shooting is accomplished mentally rather than through the use of a trigger, there should be no chance for me to accidentally fire when I didn't mean to, right?"</p><p>"I guess, uh, yeah, you're probably right," Mud said, scratching the back of your head. "Damn. Guess I gotta adapt all this safety shit to your arm cannon stuff, and I don't even know how it works."</p><p>"Sorry, I suppose it is somewhat difficult to adjust for something you don't know..."</p><p>"Nah, don't say sorry for that. I'm the one who's gotta adjust, not you," Mud said, thinking for a moment. "Anyways, second thing: your cannon's strong as fuck, so make sure that if you're pointing at something, you really wanna see it blown to bits. That includes anything behind and around it, cause if that thing can burn through a Nevermore, it's gonna burn straight through a wall or a bad guy."</p><p>"Yes, I guess it is quite strong," Pearl said. "I'm still somewhat nervous about handling it..."</p><p>"Yeah, you probably should be. Just be careful with it. Like I said, I don't wanna accidentally end up on the business end of that thing, and I don't think you want that either," Mud said. "Anyways, third thing..."</p><p>The two girls continued to discuss weapon safety for a few minutes, making sure Pearl didn't accidentally blow up anything she didn't want to blow up. After that, they spent some more time on target practice, blowing up more boulders and trees in the area before finally heading back down to the road and on towards the next town.</p><hr/><p>"Alright, your room is up the stairs, third door on the left," the innkeeper said, pausing to take a drink from the glass on the counter. He reached to the back counter and pulled it open before grabbing a key from it and tossing it over to Mud. "We serve breakfast starting at seven in the morning, and I expect you out of the room by ten."</p><p>"Thanks," Mud said, snatching the keys out of the air before turning towards Pearl. "Alright, let's head up. It's getting dark already."</p><p>"Um, alright," Pearl said, following Mud up the stairs to their room. About an hour prior, the two girls had arrived at the next settlement up the road to the northern tip of Vale, a small village by the name of Arbor. It was a quiet place, surrounded by hills and grasslands to the south and dense forest to the north. After finding the local inn, Pearl and Mud had a quick dinner before renting a room for the night.</p><p>"Let's see... third door on the left," Mud muttered, going to the appropriate door and fiddling with the keyhole for a few moments before pushing it open. Pearl peered into the room to see a fairly mundane room, with a small wooden table, two chairs, a pair of beds, a window on the far wall, and not much else. A small bathroom was tucked into the corner, though Pearl doubted she'd need it.</p><p>"It looks... fine, I suppose," Pearl said. She walked into the room, sitting down on the nearer of the two beds. "Though I'm unsure as to how much I'll be needing the room, considering..."</p><p>"Oh yeah, you can't really sleep, huh?" Mud asked, taking off her backpack and setting it on the table. "Huh. Well, I guess I can stay up with you a bit so you don't have to go wandering around again."</p><p>"Um... are you sure?" Pearl asked. "I mean, you still require sleep, don't you? You're not, well, a robot."</p><p>"Eh, I can survive with a little less sleep. Not like we gotta get up right at sunrise tomorrow or anything," Mud said, throwing herself onto the other bed. "And besides, it'll just be a few hours. Won't be spending the whole night awake like you."</p><p>"Alright, if that's fine with you," Pearl said, turning towards Mud. "Should we head outside, then? It would be more interesting to look around the village rather than staying here."</p><p>"Nah, it's getting pretty cold out. Plus, my legs are a bit sore from walking all day," Mud said. Pearl nodded; with her body, she had no problems with temperature nor fatigue, so it had slipped her mind that such things would still affect her companion. "Besides, small place like this? Probably ain't much to see. Everyone's at home resting up for whatever farming or woodcutting or fishing or whatever job they got, so won't be much more to do out there than in here."</p><p>"I suppose that's reasonable," Pearl said, looking around the room. "Now that I think about it, your need for rest is the only reason we need to stop every night, right? If you were like me, we could just keep traveling through the night..."</p><p>"Eh, not exactly. Ain't just sleep that keeps people holed up at night," Mud said. "Don't wanna go traveling after dark with the Grimm out and about. You ever try to spot a Beowolf at night? All you can see is the two red dots of its eyes, and that's only if they're facing your direction. Way too easy for them to catch you unaware like that."</p><p>"I guess that's true. It would be much harder to discern the creatures of Grimm in the dark," Pearl said. She remembered back to earlier in the morning, when she saw the Beowolves running across the grasslands to get to her while she was trying to fix the electric tower. It was day then, but had it been night, she likely would not have been able to even see them unless that targeting system she had used earlier against the Nevermore kicked in. "But there are other ways to detect them, aren't there? I have some sort of targeting system in my head that would likely be able to detect such enemies, and you... well, I suppose you could use your ears?"</p><p>"Look, my ears are good, but they ain't a substitute for my eyes. I can hear where stuff's coming from, but that only gives me a ballpark of which direction to shoot," Mud said, before pausing for a moment. "By the way, you said something about a targeting system? What's that about?"</p><p>"Oh, have I not mentioned it?" Pearl asked. "It's, uh... well, when I first activated my arm cannon against the Nevermore, it also activated a target designation system. The Nevermore was bright red in my vision, and it gave me much information about it, such as its size and weight. I haven't yet activated it since, though, and I'm unsure as to how to do so."</p><p>"Huh. Well, if I had to guess, now that you've figured out your weapons and stuff, it'll probably come up the next time you gotta fight something," Mud said. "Sounds useful, though something like that highlighting your enemies won't mean shit if you can't aim properly."</p><p>"Perhaps there's something inside me that could help with that?" Pearl suggested, looking down at her body. "It would be hard to imagine that whoever built my weapons system did not add some sort of aiming module."</p><p>"Can't say, but until you find whatever that is, you gotta learn to aim and shoot manually," Mud said. "And since you got all that firepower and all that cooldown between each shot, you gotta make every one count."</p><p>"Yes, I realize that," Pearl said, looking down. "Suddenly being able to fight and having to learn how to do so... it feels somewhat overwhelming. I never imagined I would be able to do things like this, especially considering what I remember of my old life was quite peaceful..."</p><p>"Yeah, well, can't be too careful when you're out traveling like we are. Better to prepare for a fight than stumble into one blindly," Mud said, sitting up. "You never know when something might -</p><p>
  <strong>CRASH!</strong>
</p><p>Suddenly, something crashed through the window, interrupting Mud as it landed on the floor between Mud and Pearl. Pearl looked down to see a red, beeping canister at her feet.</p><p>"Get down!"</p><p>Before Pearl could react, Mud leaped across the room, tackling Pearl to the ground and pulling her behind the bed she had been sitting on. She opened her mouth to speak -</p><p>
  <strong>BOOM!</strong>
</p><p>- but stopped as a sudden pain filled her head, pounding as if threatening to split her metal skull wide open. She saw everything burst into flames, with the bed and Mud being the only barrier between her and the fire that had suddenly engulfed the room. Smoke quickly started to fill the room as Pearl <em>reached up and tried to push at the scorched wooden beam that had fallen and pinned her legs against the ground, only to hiss in pain and pull her arms back when the burning-hot wood burned her palms.</em></p><p>"<em>Help!" Pearl cried out. She attempted to look around, but the smoke from the flames had already filled most of the room, blinding her to anything more than a few feet away. The fire had already spread across the room, and the heat was becoming unbearable. Pearl attempted to cry out once more, only to cough and choke when the thick smoke burned her lungs.</em></p><p>"<em>Pearl!" Pearl heard her mother shout, though the raging flames seemed to drown out her voice. Pearl called out to her, only for the smoke to choke her lungs once more. Her eyes watered from the acrid smoke and ever-increasing heat. Suddenly, a leg came into view out of the thick veil of smoke. Though she could barely keep her eyes open, Pearl locked onto that leg, reaching out as far as she could with the wooden beam pinning her in place and grabbing its ankle.</em></p><p>"<em>Pearl! There - " Pearl's mother started to say before she began coughing, likely from the thick smoke. She came closer, and Pearl was finally able to see her face as she scanned over Pearl's body, eventually falling on the wooden beam pinning her legs. "It's okay, dear, I'll get you out of here!"</em></p><p>
  <em>With a grunt of effort, Pearl's mother began lifting the wooden beam, ignoring the burns that were forming on her palms and fingers. Pearl felt the weight of the beam come off her legs as she was finally able to pull herself free. She tried to stand up, only to cry out in pain and fall the moment she put any pressure on her legs. Looking back, she saw that her legs had been partially crushed by the beam, bent unnaturally where it had fallen on her.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Don't worry dear, I've got you," Pearl's mother said, reaching down and picking Pearl up in her arms. She coughed again, taking a moment to recover and steady herself before pushing through the smoke and out the door of Pearl's room. Though Pearl could barely see through the smoke, she could tell that the rest of the house was already practically engulfed in flames, with fire lapping against the walls and furniture and thick smoke filling every open space. She felt </em>Mud carry her down the stairs of the inn, watching as the other people who had been staying in the other rooms fled with them.</p><p>"Pearl?! Pearl!" Mud shouted. Pearl suddenly gasped, jumping out of Mud's arms and stumbling onto her own feet. "The hell happened with you?"</p><p>"Sorry, I..." Pearl started to say before another headache came over her, causing her to hunch over for a moment and clutch her head. She was having trouble comprehending whatever had happened in her mind. As she regained her bearings, she looked back to see thick smoke billowing out of the room they had been using. "What happened? Are we being attacked? I..."</p><p>"We are, so unless you wanna blank out on me again, get your arm thing ready! We probably got someone waiting outside to intercept us," Mud explained as the two girls hurried down the stairs. Pearl watched as Mud grabbed the innkeeper, holding him by the collar of his shirt. "Back exit. Do you have one?"</p><p>"Uh... that way," the innkeeper said, pointing towards a hallway further along the wall. Mud nodded, releasing him before gesturing for Pearl to follow. Though Pearl's head still felt like an ax was cutting it open, she obliged, following Mud down the hallway to an unmarked door. Mud raised her rifle, looking back to make sure that Pearl was behind her.</p><p>"Let's go," Mud said, kicking the door open. Pearl was about to follow Mud out of the door when she suddenly turned, diving back into the hall and pulling Pearl away from the open doorway. A barrage of bullets poured through the doorway barely a moment later, shattering the door and the wooden wall beyond it. "Damn, they're out there, too."</p><p>"Come on out here, ya fuckers!" a voice - an older female, by the sound of it - shouted from outside. "And bring that robot with ya, if you know what's good for ya!"</p><p>"Wait, is that..." Mud muttered, pausing for a moment. "Shit. This isn't good."</p><p>"Huh? Do you recognize her?" Pearl asked. "Who is it?"</p><p>"Stormy Gunmetal. Leader of the Gunmetal mercenaries," Mud said, looking down at Pearl's arm. "Get your cannon out and get ready to fire."</p><p>"Okay," Pearl said nervously as she shifted her arm into its cannon form. Her head had been pounding since the flashback she just had, and she didn't have the time nor the concentration to comprehend a lot of what was happening both inside and outside of her head. "I... I'll try."</p><p>"Also, take this. When I say your name, pull the pin, count to three, and chuck it out the door as hard as you can," Mud ordered, handing Pearl a brightly-colored grenade. Then, she stepped out into the partially-destroyed doorway. "The hell are you doing here, you bitch?"</p><p>"Damn, if it isn't Mud!" Pearl heard the other voice - Stormy Gunmetal - shout back. "Heard the robot was traveling with some sorta mercenary, but I didn't know it'd be you! You find your sister yet, or you still wandering around looking for her?"</p><p>"Not yet," Mud said. "So where's Gale and the rest of the crew? Or is this a solo job?"</p><p>"Oh, crew's a bit split up, but Gale's around," Stormy said. Though Pearl couldn't see Stormy, she could hear the revving of some sort of machine. "So, where's that robot? I know you've been traveling with it, so it ain't any use denying."</p><p>"The fuck you want with her?" Mud asked, glancing back at where Pearl was hiding for a moment. "What do you need with a robot anyways? Didn't think you were the tinkering type. Always stuck to the reliable stuff."</p><p>"It's for a job, kid," Stormy said. "Client's looking to retrieve some property, and they reached out for a bit of help. From us."</p><p>"Well, I ain't letting you have Pearl!" Mud shouted. Pearl nodded at the signal, pulling the pin on the grenade before counting to three. Then, she stepped into the doorway behind Mud, tossing it over her shoulder as hard as she could.</p><p>"Huh, so that's the robot, huh? Looks - "</p><p>
  <strong>BANG!</strong>
</p><p>The grenade exploded into a flash of light and sound, cutting off Stormy's remark as Mud looked away and covered her ears. Though Pearl was looking near directly at the flashbang, her eyes were not bothered by the sudden flash of intense light, nor were her ears harmed by the loud sound that accompanied it. Past the explosion, Pearl saw a figure in heavy gray armor stumble back. Said figure had a full helmet covering their face and a large minigun in their hands; Pearl assumed it was Stormy.</p><p>"Good job, now let's go!" Mud shouted, grabbing Pearl's hand and pulling her out of the inn and down the street. Pearl looked back at Stormy, who was beginning to recover from the flashbang.</p><p>"Should we not fight?" Pearl asked. "We have two people, and she's only one - "</p><p>"No. We can't take her like this," Mud said, interrupting Pearl. "Besides, Gale might be - "</p><p>"<strong>RAAAAUUUGH!"</strong></p><p>An ear-piercing scream - that is, if Pearl had regular ears - slammed into the two girls like a shockwave, sending both stumbling. Mud cried out in pain, clapping her hands over her ears as she crumpled to the ground.</p><p>"What's wrong?" Pearl asked, reaching down to pick Mud up off the ground. "Are you okay?"</p><p>"Her fucking... gah! Her semblance. She shouts really, really loud," Mud muttered, swearing under her breath as she pushed herself onto her feet and raised her rifle at Stormy. She started shooting as she backed away, with Pearl following along, but the bullets merely bounced off Stormy's armor, becoming little more than an annoyance. "Pearl, blast her!"</p><p>"Me? But..." Pearl started to say. "I'm not sure if I can..."</p><p>"Do it! She can take it!" Mud shouted, continuing to fire upon Stormy. Despite the barrage of bullets, Stormy brought up her minigun, and the barrel began to spin.</p><p>"Uh, I'll try," Pearl said. A red glow highlighted Stormy in her vision, much like the Nevermore earlier, and information started to pour into her head.</p><p>"Target designation module activated. Combat mode activated. Threat detected. Commencing elimination..."</p><p>However, instead of shakily raising her cannon and aiming manually like last time, her body moved on its own, quickly raising her cannon and aiming directly at Stormy almost without her command. Her feet shifted into a sturdier position as she braced her cannon with her other arm, as if on instinct. Heat coursed through her body, gathering at the end of her cannon.</p><p>
  <strong>BWAAAAAAAAAaaaam!</strong>
</p><p>"Error. Excess power drain. Combat mode deactivated. Recharging..."</p><p>Suddenly, Pearl felt her stance falter as the force of the blast knocked her off her feet, making her fall back-first onto the ground. As she pushed herself up, her head started to scream in pain again and she clutched her skull, closing her eyes and gritting her teeth. When she opened them again, she saw that her cannon blast had landed dead-on against Stormy's chest, pushing her off her feet and through the outer wall of the house behind her while setting both on fire in the process. The now-flaming building began to collapse onto Stormy as <em>scorched beams of wood began falling around them, narrowing their path through the house as the smoke constantly became thicker and thicker.</em></p><p>"<em>Don't worry, Pearl, I'll - " Pearl's mother began to say before she was interrupted by another fit of coughing. Pearl tried to look around, but the thick black smoke had already filled the house, and she could barely see her mother's face, let alone anything else in the room.</em></p><p>"<em>Mother... are we going to..." Pearl started to say, before she too was interrupted by a fit of coughing from the smoke. The heat in the room had reached unbearable levels, and despite being carried in her mother's arms, Pearl felt like she was on the verge of passing out, as if all the energy in her body had left her. She was burning on the inside and outside, with the heat of the growing flames lapping at her skin and her lungs pulling in hot smoke every time she tried to take a breath.</em></p><p>"<em>I just need to find the door," Pearl's mother rasped, looking down at Pearl with a smile as she continued to stumble through the smoke-filled room. After a few long seconds, a doorway came into view, its door cracked slightly open.</em></p><p>"<em>There. A little bit closer," Pearl's mother said, grabbing the door and pulling it open.</em></p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>CRASH!</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>"<em>Mother, watch out!" Pearl shouted as she saw the flaming debris fall down towards them. Pearl's mother gasped, and the next thing Pearl knew, she was flying through the air, no longer supported by her mother's arms. The next moment, she hit the ground, tumbling across the floor before quickly coming to a stop. She pushed herself up, looking around for her mother. "Mother? Mother, where are you?!"</em></p><p>"<em>Here..."</em></p><p>"<em>Mother!" Pearl shouted, only to cough on another lungful of smoke and cough. She pulled herself in the direction of the voice she had heard, and eventually, she was able to spot her mother lying down on the floor through the smoke. "Mother, I'm here! Get up, we have to escape!"</em></p><p>"<em>I... I don't think I can..." Pearl's mother whispered in a raspy voice. Pearl looked up to see a large pile of wooden beams and debris heaped onto her mother's back, pinning her in place. Her mother pushed against the ground with her arms, attempting to lift the debris off herself, but wasn't able to budge the pile an inch before collapsing back to the ground. "But you..."</em></p><p>"<em>No, mother!" Pearl shouted, reaching up and pushing at the pile of debris. However, even if her legs weren't broken, she still wouldn't have been able to push it off her mother. "I won't leave you - "</em></p><p>"<em>Go!" Pearl's mother shouted, pushing Pearl away. "I... I'll be fine. You need to go, now!"</em></p><p>"<em>I... I..." Pearl started to say before breathing in yet more smoke, causing her to cough and choke as she gasped for air. "I..."</em></p><p>"<em>You can do it, dear," Pearl's mother said, before she too coughed and choked on the smoke filling the air. The heat was practically scorching Pearl's skin by now. "Go. I... I don't want you to die here."</em></p><p>"<em>I'm sorry..." Pearl muttered as she began to crawl away, using her arms to pull herself along the floor. She had no idea where she was going; the smoke obscured her way forward, and it already hid her mother from sight behind her. "I'm sorry... I'm sorry..."</em></p><p>"<em>I'm sorry..."</em></p><p>"<em>I'm sorry..."</em></p><p>"I'm sorry..."</p><p>"I'm sorry..."</p><p>"The hell are you muttering?!" Mud shouted, snapping Pearl out of her stupor. "We need to get out of here before she can get up!"</p><p>"Wha... I..."</p><p>"Come on!" Mud shouted, grabbing Pearl's hand and pulling her down the road. A pair of headlights appeared up ahead as a pickup truck rolled into view, and Mud immediately ran in front of the truck, causing the driver, a balding middle-aged man, to stop.</p><p>"What are you - " Pearl began to say, only to watch as Mud ran up to the driver's side door, pulling it open and sticking her rifle in the driver's face.</p><p>"Out. Now," Mud ordered, pulling the driver out of the truck and throwing him onto the ground before he could respond. She then grabbed Pearl, practically shoving her into the passenger's seat before climbing in herself, closing the door, and hitting the gas.</p><p>"Why are we - augh!" Pearl cried out as a hail of bullets pierced through the back window, shattering it. Mud lowered her head and reached to the right, pulling Pearl's head down as well as they drove away. Though one bullet scraped by Pearl's shoulder, she was overall unharmed by the time the bullets had stopped. Looking back through the broken rear window, she saw the armored figure she had blasted standing in the middle of the street with her minigun, just before Mud turned a corner and put her out of sight.</p><p>"If Stormy's after you, we gotta get away from here," Mud muttered, looking back through the rearview mirror as they sped away from the inn. Pearl watched as the buildings and houses faded away to dense forest as the road became more and more rugged. "Maybe we can get to the next town up ahead, though I dunno how far that is. And she's definitely gonna follow us."</p><p>"Who... what..." Pearl started to say before another bout of pain slammed into her robotic skull. She cried out in pain as she clutched her head, curling up in her seat.</p><p>"The hell's going on? Are you okay?" Mud asked, reaching out and grabbing her shoulder. Pearl looked up at <em>the fireman standing over her. Or, at least, she thought it was a fireman; with the heavy smoke and her waning consciousness, she could only see the person's boots as she grabbed onto their ankle.</em></p><p>"<em>I found someone!" the person - a man - said, reaching down and picking Pearl up in his arms before immediately hurrying somewhere. "It's a girl, and she's hurt. I'm bringing her outside; we need medical attention ASAP."</em></p><p>"<em>No... please... go back..." Pearl whispered in a raspy voice, too weak to raise her voice any further. She pointed back at where her mother was, but the fireman ignored her as he carried her through the burning house. Eventually, the smoke and heat began to lessen, eventually giving way to the open night sky as they made their way outside the house.</em></p><p>"<em>Where's medical?!" the fireman shouted as Pearl tried to take a breath, only for her to cough and choke once more. Though the air was no longer filled with smoke, her lungs felt as if they were clogged with soot and burned to cinders. Whenever she tried to draw air into her lungs, she choked and gagged, her chest heaving on every attempt to breathe. "I need oxygen! Where's oxygen?!"</em></p><p>"<em>Right here!" Pearl heard someone else shout as a breathing mask was thrust onto her face. As she tried to draw breath, her eyes fell upon her house behind her, where she had left her mother trapped in the rubble.</em></p><p>
  <em>It was completely engulfed in flames.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Stay with me, stay with me!" Pearl heard a voice say. Despite the voice's protests, she felt herself drifting away as she continued to try and draw breath, her entire body aching as her lungs burned inside her chest. Her eyelids started to flutter close as the image of the flaming house burned itself into her mind.</em></p><p>Then, Pearl blacked out.</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>And that's chapter 18! Pearl's learning to defend herself, an old mercenary from Mud's past is gunning after Pearl, and it looks like Pearl's new memories are quite a bit more traumatic than before. What'll happen next? Stay tuned!</p><p>Anyways, I've passed the first anniversary of when I started writing this story! While Journeys of a Mercenary was first published in June, I actually started writing it in January of 2020, and I only posted the first chapter once I had written up to the end of chapter 12. Here's to more years of this story!</p><p>As always, thanks as well to those who have read so far. And for those of you still reading, PLEASE don't hesitate to leave a review. I'd love to know what my readers are thinking, and any feedback, criticisms, and comments are appreciated, no matter how small. Anyways, have a nice day!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0019"><h2>19. Trauma and Marshmallows</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 19: Trauma and Marshmallows</strong>
</p><p>
  <em>...eep.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Beep.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Beep.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Where am I?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Beep.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Beep.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>What... happened?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Beep.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Beep.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Pearl felt a rush of cold air pass through her mouth. As she breathed it in, she suddenly felt a burning pain in her chest, as if her lungs were on fire.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Fire.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Fire.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Everything had been on fire. Memories rushed back into Pearl's mind as she strained to recall what had happened. It came back piece by piece. Being trapped by a fallen beam as the room around her went up in flames. Her mother barging in, freeing her, and carrying her through the house.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Her mother being crushed beneath debris, begging Pearl to abandon her.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Mother!" Pearl tried to shout, only for her cry to quickly turn into a raspy cough as the burning pain in her lungs flared up once again. She opened her eyes to find herself staring up at an off-white ceiling above her, with walls of the same color off to the side. Looking around, she saw that she was in some sort of hospital bed, with several machines surrounding her. One was monitoring her pulse, while another was connected to a transparent mask pressed up against her face, feeding her oxygen through her tube. Though the air passing down her throat was cold, it caused her lungs and chest to burn as if she was still in that fire, inhaling the thick, hot smoke that had filled the entire house.</em></p><p>
  <em>Looking past her bed, Pearl saw a closed door on the far side of the room. She tried to sit up in an attempt to make her way towards the door, but was barely able to lift her back off the bed before her body cried out in pain. Then, she tried to move her legs, only for an even more intense pain to consume the lower half of her body. Pearl coughed as the pain in her lungs grew greater, screwing her eyes shut as she attempted to keep all the pain from overwhelming her.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Pearl?"</em></p><p>
  <em>Pearl looked up to see her father at the door, holding a bag from a local fast-food chain. He immediately dropped the bag and ran up to the side of the bed. "Pearl! Oh my goodness, you're finally awake!"</em>
</p><p>"<em>Dad?" Pearl said in a raspy whisper, coughing as the burning in her lungs flared up. "Where... what..."</em></p><p>"<em>You're in the Atlas General Hospital, Pearl. They've been taking care of you since..." Pearl's father said, trailing off. "Well, ever since they found you."</em></p><p>"<em>How... how long?" Pearl asked, coughing again. "How long has it been..."</em></p><p>"<em>It's been a week. You've been here for seven days," Pearl's father explained. "When did you wake up?"</em></p><p>"<em>Just... a minute..." Pearl said, looking around. "Everything hurts... my legs... my chest... what happened?"</em></p><p>"<em>You... you barely made it out alive. The doctors had to do everything they could, but..." Pearl's father said, looking down for a moment. Then, he reached over, embracing Pearl in a gentle hug. Well, she assumed he was trying to be gentle; the mere contact of his arms around her caused pain to flare across her body, bringing her close to tearing up. But she suppressed it. "I'm just glad you're alive. If I lost you as well..."</em></p><p>"<em>As well?" Pearl asked, too weak to embrace her father in turn. "What... what do you mean? Is mother okay? Did she..."</em></p><p>"<em>Your mother..." Pearl's father started to say before turning away for a moment. When he turned back towards Pearl, he had a somber frown on his face, and his eyes turned down as if he refused to look back at her daughter. "Your mother never made it out of the house."</em></p><p>"<em>I... I..." Pearl started to say as the wheels started to turn in her head. Her mother had been trapped beneath debris. Pearl crawled away and abandoned her as the fire consumed the house.</em></p><p>
  <em>The fire.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The fire.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Then, another memory wormed its way into her head, An innocuous memory. A memory of the night just before she went to bed, hours before the fire had consumed the house.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>A memory of -</em>
</p><p>"<em>I - I - I'm sorry, I - I - I didn't know, I was - I - I'm sorry, I - "</em></p><p>
  <em>Pearl's eyes grew wide and teared up as she started to hyperventilate, the unending flow of words briefly interrupted by rapid breaths through the oxygen mask. Her lungs burned more and more with each breath, but she couldn't stop.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Pearl, what is it?" Pearl's father asked. "What's wrong? I'll call the - "</em></p><p>"<em>I - I - I'm sorry, father, mother is, I - I - I - I'm sor - I'm sorry, I - I think I - it's my fault she - no, if I had -"</em></p><p>"<em>Pearl?"</em></p><p>"<em>I - I killed - I killed her- I'm sorry - I - I abandoned - I killed - I'm sorry - I - I - </em>I left her to - I - she - I - I'm sorry, I left her to die, I killed her, I - "</p><p>"Hey!"</p><p>Suddenly, Pearl felt someone grab her shoulder, shaking her back and forth hard. She opened her eyes to see the windshield of a pickup truck, with a hula-dancer figure sitting on the dashboard and a pine-shaped air freshener hanging from the rear-view mirror. She looked to the left to see Mud with her hand on Pearl's shoulder.</p><p>"Huh?" Pearl asked, looking out the windshield again. Though it was dark, she could see dense forest out in front of the truck. "Where are we? What... what happened?"</p><p>"We're a few hours up the road from Arbor. Dunno exactly where, unless you count forest as a place," Mud explained. She tapped the fuel gauge on the truck's dashboard, and Pearl saw the needle was pointing to empty. "Truck's outta juice, so we're ditching it. Gonna find somewhere to make camp for the night and then head up north on foot in the morning."</p><p>"But... but what about Stormy?" Pearl asked as she remembered why the two were out here in the first place. "If we make camp, wouldn't she..."</p><p>"Catch up to us? Not yet, but she will. Like I said, it's usually not a good idea to go traveling through the woods at night all by yourself, and she knows that," Mud said, opening the driver's side door of the truck and stepping out onto the side of the road. Pearl did the same, following Mud away from the truck and up the road. "But that doesn't mean we're out of the woods yet - metaphorically, I mean. Even if we're half a day up the road come morning, she's good enough to track us all the way to Atlas and get there before we do. Or at least, intercept us somewhere along the way. I heard she once caught a guy with a bounty on his head, let him go with a week's head-start, and caught him again halfway across the continent before the next week was over, just to challenge herself. So I doubt we'll be losing her anytime soon."</p><p>"That... that's..." Pearl said, her voice trailing off as further words failed to come through the thick haze covering her mind. The two walked in silence for a minute, guided along the road by the light of the shattered moon poking through the trees.</p><p>"She'll catch up eventually, so best we can do is get ready for that," Mud said, looking back at Pearl. "So, uh... how're you doing?"</p><p>"Huh?" Pearl said, looking up at Mud. She paused for a moment. "I... I..."</p><p>"You were acting kinda strange ever since we got attacked. You started mumbling stuff after you blasted Stormy, and when we got into the truck, well..." Mud said, trailing off for a moment. "You just blanked out. Didn't even respond when I hit ya. So I just kept driving until you started mumbling some stuff about being sorry. Now, here we are."</p><p>"I, uh..." Pearl muttered, trying to process everything that had just gone through her head.</p><p>"You had another memory flash?" Mud asked. "Seemed pretty bad this time. Wanna talk about it?"</p><p>"Um... I... I'm not sure... I don't know what just - "</p><p>"Well, not here. Let's find somewhere to set up camp," Mud said. "Give you some time to get your head in place so that you can figure yourself out. This seemed like a lot more than the times you've remembered shit before."</p><p>"I... thanks," Pearl said, and the two continued down the road.</p><hr/><p>Crunch.</p><p>Crunch.</p><p>Crunch.</p><p>"Hey, you want one?" Mud asked, holding an unwrapped granola bar out to Pearl as she chomped down on her own bar. The two had walked a little further down the road before veering off into a small clearing in the forest to set up camp for the night. A small fire burned in the middle of the clearing, and the two girls had pulled a fallen log next to it to sit on.</p><p>"I'm, uh... no, thank you," Pearl said, turning away.</p><p>"You sure?" Mud asked. "I can tell something's off with you. Food usually helps when that's the case. Lets you concentrate."</p><p>"I, um... okay," Pearl said, taking the granola bar. She opened the wrapper and took a nibble out of it. It tasted slightly sweet and dry.</p><p>"So, you had another memory flash," Mud said. Pearl nodded. "What was it? Only if you wanna tell me, of course."</p><p>"I... I... I think I..." Pearl started to say as she replayed the memories in her head. She instinctively tried to take a breath, only to feel panic when she couldn't. "Oh god... I left her. I abandoned - I left her to - I killed - I - I - she - I - "</p><p>"Calm down. You're a stuttering mess," Mud said, grabbing Pearl's shoulder and shaking her. She pushed the granola bar in Pearl's hand towards her mouth. "I'd tell you to take a deep breath, but... look, just eat a bit of this. Focus on it. You don't gotta tell me whatever's bothering you if you don't wanna bring it up, but you need to settle down a bit."</p><p>"Uh... thanks," Pearl said, nibbling on the end of her granola bar. She quietly ate through the bar, staring at the waning fire as she collected her thoughts. "I remembered... I think I remembered... well, there was a lot, and..."</p><p>"How about we start with whatever you remembered first?" Mud suggested. "If that's a good place to start, that is. I dunno what the hell's going on through that head of yours."</p><p>"I... there was a fire. It was at night, while I was sleeping," Pearl explained slowly. She paused, playing the memory over in her head. If she was correct, it should have taken place years ago, yet she remembered it as if it was just yesterday. "By the time I... by the time I woke up, everything was already on fire. A wooden beam in the attic or something had been weakened by the fire, I guess, and... it landed on me as I tried to escape. It pinned my legs against the ground."</p><p>"A fire, huh?" Mud said, staring off into the campfire. Pearl waited for Mud to make some sort of further remark, but she stayed silent, so Pearl continued.</p><p>"My mother somehow found me through all the smoke and fire. She took the beam and - and - and she lifted it off my legs. I tried to get up and move, but I... I..." Pearl said as her words started to stutter and break. "I - if I had - if I hadn't - I could have - "</p><p>"Whoa, calm down. You're having another panic attack or whatever that was last time," Mud said, interrupting Pearl as she pushed Pearl's granola bar back into Pearl's mouth. "Eat. When you're done, keep talking. If you want to."</p><p>"T-thank you," Pearl said, following Mud's orders and biting down on the bar again. She took her time chewing through it, letting the crunch of the bar in her mouth join the crackling of the fire in filling the silence. As she swallowed, she sighed and looked towards Mud. "I... I'm sorry, I'll try to keep myself from doing that again, but..."</p><p>"It's okay, I won't blame you if it happens again," Mud said. "Keep going, if you still wanna tell me what happened. But if it's too painful..."</p><p>"I - I'll try," Pearl said. "Anyways, I tried to get up, but when I tried to move my legs... I don't think 'it hurt' would begin to describe it. It was as if the fire had somehow managed to get into my thighs, where the beam had landed. I could not crawl on my knees, let alone stand."</p><p>"That... that sounds pretty bad," Mud said. "I guess that beam fucked your legs pretty hard."</p><p>"I... I didn't have time to think about that. My mother picked me up and tried to carry me out of the house," Pearl said. Her eyes stared at the campfire, at the thin wisps of smoke emanating from it. "But... it was so hot... and the smoke... the fire... we couldn't even see a foot in front of us, and everything burned... oh god, it burned... I could barely breathe... I... I... my lungs, I - I - my - I - "</p><p>"Eat," Mud said. Pearl nodded, stopping and taking another bite of the bar. She was about halfway through it by now. She tasted nuts in it. They tasted nice. Crunchy. She wasn't sure what type of nuts they were. "Take it slow."</p><p>"Yeah, I... I'll try," Pearl said. "We were trying to escape. It was so hot, and I couldn't breathe, and I kept coughing and coughing and when we were trying to get out..." Pearl said, trailing off as she remembered what had happened to her mother. She closed her eyes, trying to shut out the image of the debris falling towards them, but it didn't work. "Something fell from above, and - she - she - she pushed me out of the way and - and - she -she - "</p><p>"She didn't make it?" Mud asked, finishing Pearl's sentence.</p><p>"I saw - I saw her. She was right there. Right in front of me. Still alive, right in front of me, I could touch her. She was right there," Pearl muttered. "If only I - if only I - if I wasn't so weak, I - if I had helped her, she - "</p><p>"You couldn't do anything," Mud said, interrupting Pearl. "You were a kid. Your legs were fucked. You were in the middle of a huge fire. I know it's kinda hard for you to tell yourself that, but from what I'm hearing, you couldn't have saved your mother."</p><p>"You - you weren't there! You don't know, I could have - I should have - if I had just - " Pearl shouted. Then, she paused for a minute as she mulled over Mud's words. Yes, she hadn't been there. But she wasn't wrong, either. "She told me to go. I didn't want to go, but..."</p><p>"You went."</p><p>"I crawled away. Smoke was everywhere. The heat scorched my skin and lungs and everything else, and I thought I was going to die, but..." Pearl said, stopping to take another bite of her granola bar. She focused on her teeth as they crushed the granola into bits, slowly chewing it to a paste before swallowing. "I found a fireman. Grabbed onto his boot. He carried me out. I couldn't breathe... and the house... it was on fire... everything was on fire... and I'm not sure what happened after that."</p><p>"That..." Mud started to say before going quiet. She took a bite out of her own granola bar. "Sorry to hear that. About your mother, I mean. I'm guessing she didn't make it."</p><p>"She.. she didn't. They found her body the next day, underneath a pile of debris and completely burnt," Pearl explained. "I went to the hospital. Didn't wake up for days. It was bad. I had burns all over. My legs were crushed and severely burned by the debris, and my lungs... they told me there was a lot of damage. The smoke and the heat had scorched them. It hurt to speak... to breathe. Like the fire had stayed in my chest and refused to leave."</p><p>"That sounds horrible," Mud said. "How long... how long were you like that? I mean, from what you told me, you didn't seem too pained in your previous flashbacks, so..."</p><p>"I... I spent months in the hospital recovering. My father earned a lot from his work, so we could afford high-quality treatments and surgeries, but... it took over a month before I could breathe without feeling like my chest was on fire. They put some metal rods and joints in my legs so I could walk again, but even with those, it took me quite a long time for me to get on my feet," Pearl explained. "And even then, I couldn't walk more than a dozen meters or so without my legs aching or my lungs burning again. I had to use a wheelchair or a walker all the time, even after I left the hospital. Getting around the house was fine, but going anywhere further... it was as if my body had given up on me. Like my lungs were collapsing on themselves just from doing what any kid my age wouldn't think twice about."</p><p>"Hm. I guess... I guess that must suck pretty bad," Mud said. "Speaking of your dad, where was he? During the fire, I mean?"</p><p>"Working. Green Ocean needed him to work late that night, so he was still at his lab when the fire broke out," Pearl said, chuckling slightly. "I guess he was lucky. If he was home, I might've killed him too..."</p><p>"What do you mean? Don't say that," Mud said, reaching towards Pearl's shoulder. "She told you to go. You didn't - "</p><p>"But I did!" Pearl shouted, batting Mud's hand away as she turned from Mud. "I... the fire... it was - if I just - I was so stupid, I - I killed, I k-killed her, I - my fault - if I hadn't - "</p><p>"I see. I think I get it now," Mud muttered. "You... you caused the fire somehow, didn't you?"</p><p>"I - I - I didn't mean to, it just - I - I - I was dumb and - and - and my mother - I'm sorry, I - "</p><p>"Calm down. I'm not gonna blame you for anything," Mud said. "Tell me what happened. If you still want to."</p><p>"I... they told me the fire started from..."</p><p>Pearl stopped. She would have taken a deep breath if she was capable of doing so, but instead settled for taking a bite of her granola bar. There wasn't much left of it. The crunch of the granola and nuts helped her keep her mind off what she had done.</p><p>"After they investigated the fire, they told us it started from - from the garage. The - there was a soldering kit with fire Dust in it that was left on and running, and it overheated and exploded and set everything on fire and - " Pearl said, pausing for a moment to collect her words. "I use that garage as a workshop, and I was working on some components earlier that night. I - I - I don't even remember what they - what project they were for. Probably something stupid. If I had just - if I had just remembered - all I had to do was turn it off - if I had - if - if - if - "</p><p>"Look, you... you didn't kill her," Mud said. Pearl felt Mud put a hand on her shoulder. This time, she didn't push her away. "You... you made a mistake. We all do that. Don't blame yourself for it."</p><p>"But - but - but if I hadn't - if I had just been more careful - if I wasn't so stupid, I - she - "</p><p>"Trust me, I know how you feel," Mud said. "I... well, I can't say the feeling will ever leave you. You'll carry that regret. But... you just kinda have to live with it."</p><p>"I... I... I don't know if I..."</p><p>Pearl paused, stuffing the last portion of the granola bar into her mouth. She chewed it slowly, savoring the taste before finally swallowing.</p><p>"It's just... I can't... I don't know how to process all this," Pearl said, turning to Mud. "I... my mother... all these memories just came rushing into my head, and I... I can't..."</p><p>"I... well, I can't imagine what it's like to suddenly remember all this traumatic shit, for it to hit you like this, but for what it's worth, you seemed to keep yourself together after the incident," Mud said. "I mean, before you ended up in this body and lost your memories. After all, you went and got working for Green Ocean and helped create, well... you, right? That doesn't seem like a broken girl to me."</p><p>"I... I guess so."</p><p>"I'm not saying you should be feeling okay. You just found out your mom's dead, and you're blaming yourself for it... even if it did happen way back, it's hitting you hard right now," Mud said. "I don't think anyone would feel okay after that. You probably feel like shit up in that metal skull of yours, don't you? "</p><p>"Yes, that's..." Pearl said, chuckling slightly. "I think that's about correct."</p><p>"I guessed so. What I'm saying is... you're not just gonna get over it. It'll keep dragging behind you, but..." Mud stopped for a moment, looking towards the fire before turning back to Pearl. "You get used to it. You learn from it. Keep it in the back of your mind, but don't let it eat you up. Something like that."</p><p>"I... I'll try to remember that," Pearl said. "I - I'm not sure if I can just push all that back and out of my mind, but - "</p><p>"I know. It's hard. I ain't expecting you to act like you're fine come morning, or even a week from now," Mud said. "It sucks, but... if you can at least give some effort to keep yourself going, then that's good. One step at a time and all that."</p><p>"I - I guess I can try to do that. I'm still having trouble processing everything... it's just been memory after memory of what I did and - " Pearl stopped for a moment. "I... I think I just need time. To think about all that's been going through my head... I just need a little more time."</p><p>"Take whatever time you need. I guess you haven't really had much time to process everything," Mud said, taking off her backpack and setting it against the log. "Though, you'll have to take that time on the road. We'll be heading out early tomorrow so Stormy doesn't catch up to us. Or at least, catch up to us too soon."</p><p>"I... that's probably a good idea," Pearl said, looking over at Mud. "Are you going to sleep?"</p><p>"That depends," Mud said. "You want me to stay up?"</p><p>"I..."</p><p>Pearl stopped and thought for a moment.</p><p>"No, you don't need to," Pearl muttered, looking away. "You shouldn't - I don't - you don't have to stay up just for me, you should - "</p><p>"It's okay," Mud interrupted. "I'll stay up with you if you want. At least, for a little bit longer."</p><p>"I... alright," Pearl said. "I'd like that."</p><p>Then, the two sat silently, watching the fire as it slowly burned away. The light would have burned into her retinas if she had any, but she didn't. Instead, she stared directly into the flames, counting the seconds as the fire faded from a roaring flame to small peaks of orange licking up between the charred sticks and slabs of wood.</p><p>By the time the fire was nothing but embers, she had already lost count.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>And that's chapter 19! Pearl's a wreck. This was a pretty short chapter, but I hope you enjoyed it anyways. And as always, PLEASE leave a comment if you can. Otherwise it's like I'm casting my work into the void and getting no response besides the upticks of views (not that I don't appreciate those, but I like feedback more). Thanks for reading, and have a nice day!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0020"><h2>20. A Little Seasons Go A Long Way</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"<em>Alright, dinner's ready!"</em></p><p>
  <em>A nice smell wafted gently up Pearl's nose as she saw Resina coming out of the kitchen, balancing a trio of steaming bowls in her arms as she carefully made her way to the table. She placed one of the bowls in front of Pearl, who saw that it was filled with a thick brown stew. Chunks of meat, potatoes, and vegetables poked through the surface of the broth.</em>
</p><p>"<em>This looks quite good," Pearl's father said, blowing on a spoonful of his stew before taking a bite. "And tastes nice as well. It's better than anything I could make."</em></p><p>"<em>Happy to hear it! Least I could do was cook up something nice for you, since you're letting me stay here and all," Resina said, sitting down and turning towards Pearl. "What about you? How's it taste?"</em></p><p>"<em>I... I'll give it a try," Pearl said, raising a spoonful of the stew. It was still steaming hot, so she tried to blow on it -</em></p><p>"<em>Hack! Hack! Hourgh..."</em></p><p>
  <em>- only for the air to catch in her lungs and send her into a coughing fit. She dropped her spoon as her hand went to the edge of the table, bracing herself as she doubled over and coughed towards the floor.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Pearl?" Pearl heard her father call out. As she finally caught her breath once again, she felt a hand on her back. "Are you - "</em></p><p>"<em>I'm fine, father," Pearl said, taking a few slow breaths as she sat back up, watching her father go back to his seat. "I... sorry, I'll try not to do that again."</em></p><p>"<em>Here, if you can't blow on your soup without coughing up a lung, I'll do it for you," Resina said, reaching over and taking a spoonful of the stew from Pearl's bowl. She blew on it gently before pushing it towards Pearl's mouth with a smile. "Say aaah..."</em></p><p>"<em>Uh..." Pearl hesitantly opened her mouth, letting Resina push the spoon into her mouth before taking it from her. As she closed her mouth and slurped up the contents of the spoon, the savory taste of the meat and broth hit her tongue. "This... this is good! It flavor is quite nice."</em></p><p>"<em>Good to hear!" Resina said as a grin came over her face. "I used to make it for my little sister. Granted, I wasn't as good back then, so she probably didn't like it, but... hey, I guess I've improved!"</em></p><p>"<em>Your sister... I remember you mentioned her before," Pearl said. "Where is she? Is she..."</em></p><p>"<em>Dead? No, nothing like that," Resina said, shaking her head. "Or at least, I hope she isn't. After all, she's kinda the reason I'm here in the first place."</em></p><p>"<em>What do you mean?"</em></p><p>"<em>Ms. Stone has a sort of... problem, you could say," Pearl's father explained. "It has to do with her aura, so she came to me and Green Ocean for help."</em></p><p>"<em>What sort of problem?" Pearl asked, turning towards Resina. "Are you... are you sick? Do you have some sort of condition?"</em></p><p>"<em>It's... I wouldn't call it an illness. To be honest, it's been helpful more often than not," Resina said. "But... I guess you could say it's more like a curse. One that I got from my mom, and she got from her's."</em></p><p>"<em>A curse? What do you mean?" Pearl asked, cautiously sipping some more of the stew. "Is it contagious? Does your sister have something similar? Is that why you..."</em></p><p>"<em>Oh, no, it's not contagious. Otherwise, I'd stay far away from you," Resina said, grinning at Pearl. "But it can be passed, and if I don't do anything, it'll be passed to her."</em></p><p>"<em>What... what does this curse do?"</em></p><p>"<em>Well, I don't really know a lot about it, to be honest. How should I put it..." Resina said, looking up as she rubbed her chin. "I guess the simplest way to say it is that it makes me stronger. A lot stronger."</em></p><p>"<em>Huh?" Pearl asked. "Isn't that... isn't that good?"</em></p><p>"<em>Like I said, it's been helpful more often than not," Resina said. "But the bad part... the part I'd consider a curse, it isn't the power that it gives me. It's what people would do to get that power."</em></p><p>"<em>I don't get it."</em></p><p>"<em>Let me put it this way. Imagine everyone in the world had a knife, and no other weapons," Resina said. "All those fancy things you see Huntsmen and Huntresses use? They're all gone, replaced by kitchen knives. Except for me. I have a gun."</em></p><p>"<em>That's a lot better than a knife," Pearl said. "That means you would win every fight, right?"</em></p><p>"<em>Maybe not all of them, but most of them," Resina said. "But then, people would want that gun, right?"</em></p><p>"<em>I suppose so."</em></p><p>"<em>Exactly. If that gun is stronger than every other weapon in the world, of course they would want it," Resina said with a sigh. "And that means that a lot of people would be coming for me. I might be able to win most fights, but that wouldn't stop me from getting ganged up on by a bunch of people or getting stabbed in my sleep, right?"</em></p><p>"<em>But could you just hide the gun?" Pearl asked. "Make people think you just have a knife instead?"</em></p><p>"<em>I could, and I've tried. But if you use that gun even once..." Resina said before trailing off. "Well, once they know you have it, they won't just forget."</em></p><p>"<em>I see," Pearl said. "I suppose having the gun in a world of knives might not be so great."</em></p><p>"<em>You'd probably be correct. Now imagine I can't get rid of this gun, even if I wanted to," Resina said. "And if I die, my little sister gets the gun instead of me. There's not much I can do about that."</em></p><p>"<em>I see. That could be bad," Pearl said, thinking for a moment. "So what you're asking my father to do... would be like taking that gun away from you? After all, if it's a problem with your aura, and you came to him for help, then..."</em></p><p>"<em>That's about it. You're pretty smart," Resina said. "If he takes the 'gun' away from me, hopefully people won't chase my anymore, and I won't have to worry about passing it onto my sister."</em></p><p>"<em>I suppose that would be for the best," Pearl said, taking another spoonful of her stew.</em></p><hr/><p>
  <strong>Chapter 20: A Little Seasons Go A Long Way</strong>
</p><p>Step.</p><p>Step.</p><p>Step.</p><p>Snap!</p><p>Pausing for a moment, Pearl looked down to see a branch underneath her foot split in two. She kicked one part of the branch off to the side, leaving the other where it lay as she quickened her pace to catch up with Mud.</p><p>"How... how long until the next town?" Pearl asked, turning her head up towards the trees. Though sunlight was shining through the branches, the air was far from warm. In fact, it was cold enough that Pearl could see small clouds coming out of Mud's mouth every time she had exhaled. However, neither of the two girls seemed to mind the cold; Mud's thick, armored jacket and pants seemed to keep her warm, and Pearl's body didn't mind the low temperatures. "And what is the next town?"</p><p>"Port town called Seadale. Bigger than Pike's Landing, and from what I've seen, a decent bit more civilized. Lotta trade goes through there, mostly through the rail coming up from the south or the ships coming down from Atlas," Mud explained. "As for when we'll be there... maybe about noon? Could be earlier, I dunno exactly how far we drove last night."</p><p>"Oh, okay," Pearl said, and the two continued to walk in silence. Pearl's thoughts drifted back towards the previous night. Back to some of the things Mud had said. Like -</p><p>"Hey, what's up?" Mud asked, interrupting Pearl's thoughts. Pearl looked up to see Mud's head turned back towards her. "Something on your mind? Is it about your mom?"</p><p>"Y-yeah, just thinking about last night. Everything I remembered," Pearl said. "How did you know?"</p><p>"Eh, you got it all over your face," Mud said. "You got something you wanna say? Or ask? Whatever, shoot."</p><p>"Well, uh..." Pearl said, pausing for a moment as she looked at the forest along the road, before turning back towards Mud. "You said, last night. That you knew how I felt. Have you... has something like that happened to you before?"</p><p>"Oh yeah, that?" Mud asked. She slowed down, letting Pearl catch up and walk beside her. "That was a long time ago. And it wasn't, well... let's just say that you got the worse deal between the two of us."</p><p>"Regardless, if you've been through something similar, I wouldn't mind listening about how you dealt with it," Pearl said. "That is, if you're willing to tell me, of course."</p><p>"Well, you spilled your guts to me last night, so I guess I owe you a little story of my own," Mud said. She paused, and Pearl waited patiently for her to start speaking again. "It was... about nine or ten years ago. Kinda lost track. All I remember for sure was that it was the last time I ever saw my home... or my sister."</p><p>"The last time you saw your sister?" Pearl asked. "And... your home? Where were you from?"</p><p>"Just a small place. Basically in the middle of nowhere," Mud explained. "It was a lot more boring than what I do now, but... I had my sister. We lived pretty happy together. At least, until that day..."</p><hr/><p>
  <em>Bang.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Bang.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Bang.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Bang.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Bang.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Hm... four outta five," Mud muttered, lowering her pistol as she looked at the makeshift target carved into the tree several dozen meters away. The target consisted of two rings, one of which was a few inches across while the other was considerably larger. Most of her shots had managed to get in the inner ring, but the last had veered off a couple of inches out. She looked down at the stump beside her to see the inside of an empty box staring up at her. "Oh no, sis is gonna kill me..."</em></p><p>"<em>Mud?" Mud heard someone call out. Recognizing the voice, she turned to see Resina coming down the path towards her. "Oh, there you are! You've been down here a lot lately, you know. It's getting dark."</em></p><p>"<em>Only because I wanna get better with this!" Mud replied, switching the safety of her pistol and setting it down. "I'm improving, but..."</em></p><p>"<em>It's alright. You're not gonna get as good as me overnight, you know," Resina said with a grin. She looked over into the empty box, and the grin turned into a frown. "Hey, Mud?"</em></p><p>"<em>Yeah?"</em></p><p>"<em>What'd I tell you about the ammo?"</em></p><p>"<em>That I shouldn't waste it all on target practice," Mud said with a sigh. "Sorry, I just... I wasn't keeping track, and the next thing I know - "</em></p><p>"<em>All of it was gone," Resina said, finishing Mud's sentence as she scooped up the gun and the empty box. "Look, I know you like coming out here to shoot, but ammo's a little more expensive out here. Can't just waste it."</em></p><p>"<em>I know..."</em></p><p>"<em>Good thing is, I think we have one more box at home. Don't waste that one and we're good," Resina said, patting Mud on the head. "Now, I've got dinner on the stove back home. You hungry?"</em></p><p>"<em>Sure am," Mud said. "What's for dinner?"</em></p><p>"<em>Pork stew! Got a good deal with the butcher earlier today," Resina said. "It was mostly for bits and pieces of leftover meat, but hey, if you throw it in a stew, you can't really tell the difference, right?"</em></p><p>"<em>Good enough for me," Mud said. She followed Resina away from the makeshift shooting range and up the hill, back towards their home as the sun began to set.</em></p><hr/><p>"So you lived alone with your sister?" Pearl asked. "I suppose this would be after your mother... your mother passed away?"</p><p>"Yeah, she actually passed away, uh..." Mud said, trailing off as she stopped to think. After a few seconds of rubbing her chin and watching the trees pass by, Mud looked back at Pearl. "About three years or so before then? Maybe four, give or take."</p><p>"That must have been quite difficult..." Pearl muttered. "For your sister to take care of you alone, I mean. How old was she?"</p><p>"Maybe... maybe about seventeen or so?" Mud said. "And it ain't like I was too hard to take care of. Always listened to what she'd say, and sometimes people from the village would help us out."</p><p>"The village?"</p><p>"Yeah, there... there was a village near our place. We lived on a hill looking over it, about a few minutes away," Mud explained. "We traded and worked with them a decent bit. Did odd jobs and such. Resina helped with Grimm and village defense a lot. She was good at that kinda stuff."</p><p>"And the gun?" Pearl asked. "Did she... did she teach you how to use it?"</p><p>"Eh, at the beginning, kinda yeah," Mud said. "She's a pretty good shot, but a bit after mom died, she kinda stopped using guns. Started using a Dust staff instead. Did leave me her pistol though, so I can't really complain."</p><p>"A Dust staff? If I recall correctly, those are fairly old weapons, and are quite difficult to use effectively. Most Huntsmen and Huntresses have transitioned to more efficient methods of utilizing Dust in their weapons," Pearl said as her eyes drifted down towards the pistol at Mud's waist. "Is that..."</p><p>"Huh? Oh, no, this ain't the one she gave me. Just something I picked up a while back," Mud explained. "How're you feeling, by the way? Ain't sure how well you're coping with, well, all that stuff from last night."</p><p>"I... well, I'm coping," Pearl said with a sigh. "T - to be honest, I've been trying... trying to avoid thinking about it. Your story has been helping so far with that."</p><p>"Huh. Well, guess I better continue my story, then," Mud said. "Anyways, we got back to the house, and then..."</p><hr/><p>"<em>Uh, sis?" Mud said as she entered the front door. A faint smell of burning meat tickled her nose, and she looked over to the stove to see a steaming pot sitting on top of it. "I think the stew's burning."</em></p><p>"<em>Huh? How can stew get burnt - oh, the meat!" Resina shouted. She quickly handed Mud the pistol and the empty box of ammo before rushing over to the stove, grabbing a nearby ladle, and rapidly stirring its contents. After a few more moments of vigorous stirring, she took the pot off the stove, setting it down on the counter as she scooped up and inspected the stew's contents. "Uh, the meat's still good. I think. A little carbonization won't hurt us, right?"</em></p><p>"<em>You shoulda taken it off the heat before you went to get me, you know," Mud said, turning off the stove before making her way next to Resina and peering into the pot of thick, brown stew. "What's in it?"</em></p><p>"<em>It's the usual stuff. Carrots, potatoes, onions, peas, what have you," Resina said, lifting the pot and taking it over to the table in the middle of the room. "Can you get the bowls? Got my hands full here."</em></p><p>"<em>Got it," Mud said, grabbing two wooden bowls and spoons from a nearby cabinet before moving to the table and setting them there, one set of bowl and spoon on each side. She took another whiff of the smell emanating from the pot, and though she could still smell the slightly burnt smell of the meat, she also noticed the rich, savory scents coming from the stew itself. "Smells pretty decent."</em></p><p>"<em>Just decent? I spent a good bit of my evening cooking this, you know," Resina said, using the ladle to pour a hearty portion of stew into each bowl. "Sure, it isn't gourmet or anything, but I think I did pretty good."</em></p><p>"<em>I'll see for myself," Mud said, sitting down at the table. She took a spoonful of stew and stuffed it in her mouth, only to spit it out immediately afterwards. "Gah! That's hot!"</em></p><p>"<em>What, did you think it was gonna be room temperature? I just got it off the stove, you know," Resina said. "Here, lemme cool it down for you."</em></p><p>"<em>Just a little," Mud said as Resina pointed her finger towards the bottom of the bowl. The wind in the room began to shift as she concentrated, and after a moment, a gust of frigid air rushed from her finger and wrapped around the bottom of the bowl, quickly cooling it to near-freezing temperatures.</em></p><p>"<em>There. That should cool it down a bit," Resina said, sitting down by her own bowl of stew. Mud took another spoonful, and true to her sister's word, had cooled down slightly, enough to make it edible without burning her mouth and tongue. She chewed through the meat and vegetables before swallowing down the mush of pork, carrots, potatoes, and stew. "How's it taste?"</em></p><p>"<em>Eh... it's decent," Mud said, taking another spoonful. "Could be better, but I'll take it."</em></p><p>"<em>Aw, only decent again?" Resina said as she let out an exaggerated sigh. "I guess my little sister's the biggest food critic in Vale."</em></p><p>"<em>Or maybe you need to brush up on your cooking skills," Mud said as she continued to slurp up the stew. "Thanks for cooling it down, though. That semblance is really convenient, you know? It can do anything from fighting off Grimm and putting out fires to lighting stoves and just making the wind stop blowing... I'm kinda jealous, to be honest."</em></p><p>"<em>Yeah, uh... well, it's not all smiles and rainbows," Resina said. "Besides... you're getting pretty good with the gun! You'll be taking down your first Beowolf before you know it!"</em></p><p>"<em>Really? You think so?" Mud asked. Her spoon scraped the bottom of the bowl, and she saw that she had barely any stew left. She reached over to the pot. "Hey, you got enough for seconds?"</em></p><p>"<em>Huh? You want seconds for something that 'could be better'?" Resina said with a grin as she grabbed the pot first, pulling it out of Mud's reach. "Why go for seconds on something that's only 'decent'?"</em></p><p>"<em>Come on, sis," Mud groaned. "Just gimme the stew."</em></p><p>"<em>Only if you say my cooking's great," Resina said. "Fantastic, even. Five stars, would eat here again. And stellar service on top of that!"</em></p><p>"<em>Sis..."</em></p><p>"<em>You want seconds or not?"</em></p><p>"<em>Fine," Mud said with a sigh. "Your food's great. You shoulda been working in a five star restaurant in Vale. Yadda yadda."</em></p><p>"<em>Good enough for me," Resina said, smiling as she pushed the pot back towards Mud. Mud scooped out another bowlful of stew for herself and began slurping it down.</em></p><hr/><p>"Seems... nice," Pearl said. "It seems nice. Just living together with your sister, I mean."</p><p>"It was," Mud said. "I didn't think much of it at the time, but... I guess you never really think much of things until they're gone, huh?"</p><p>"I... I guess so," Pearl said as her thoughts went back to her mother. "I... nothing's actually changed since I remembered what happened to my mother, and yet..."</p><p>"Now that you remember she's gone, it suddenly hits you like a sack of bricks, huh?"</p><p>"I... I know it's been a long time since she passed. I don't even have many memories of her. And yet..."</p><p>"It's okay. She's your mom, and you just found out she's dead," Mud said. "You're gonna feel like shit for a bit."</p><p>"Yeah, I... I guess so," Pearl said. She paused for a moment, looking for something else to shift the topic to. "So, your sister... did she do the cooking between the two of you?"</p><p>"Eh, we both did it. Sometimes it was her, sometimes it was me," Mud explained. "Though she'd be the one buying groceries more often than not."</p><p>"Who... who was better between the two of you?" Pearl asked. "At cooking, I mean?"</p><p>"Well, I was like nine years old, so she knew more than I did. Honestly, she was pretty decent, though I've tasted a lot better over the years," Mud said. She sighed. "Even then... I do kinda miss her cooking."</p><p>"You do?"</p><p>"I still remember that last meal we had together, that pork stew. The meat was slightly overcooked and burnt in a few places, the vegetables were kinda mushy, and the stew coulda used a bit more salt," Mud said as a smile came over her face. "Still, what I wouldn't give to taste that stew again..."</p><p>"She... I think she actually cooked something like that for my father and me when she stayed with us," Pearl said. "I... I think I enjoyed it. I remember it being quite good."</p><p>"Huh. I guess she's improved, in that case," Mud said, chuckling to herself. "I guess a few years out in the world will do that."</p><p>"You said that was your last meal together?" Pearl asked. "What... what happened after that?"</p><p>"Well, we finished up the stew and cleaned ourselves up," Mud explained. "And then, later that night..."</p><hr/><p>"<em>Alright, let's get you to bed," Resina said. "It's getting late, you know."</em></p><p>"<em>Aw, come on," Mud whined as she flipped the page on the book she was reading. "I'm almost done with this chapter, you know."</em></p><p>"<em>Weren't you gonna help Mrs. Pauper at the market tomorrow morning?" Resina asked. "You need to get to bed early so you can get up early. Otherwise, you're gonna be half asleep when you're supposed to be helping with her stall."</em></p><p>"<em>Ugh, fine," Mud groaned, closing the book. She got up from her seat and put the book in a nearby bookshelf before heading to her room. However, before she could get there, she saw an orange, flickering light shining through the window. "Huh? What's that?"</em></p><p>"<em>What do you mean?"</em></p><p>"<em>There's something outside," Mud said, moving up to the window to get a closer look. The light ended up being further from the window than she thought; instead of being right outside, it was shining all the way from the village at the foot of the hill. And the billowing black clouds coming from the village as well...</em></p><p>"<em>What is it?" Resina asked. "Is someone - "</em></p><p>"<em>I think the village is on fire!" Mud shouted, running to the front door and throwing it open. The screams of the people down below echoed up to her ears, as well as the terrifying howls and roars of Grimm. "We need to - "</em></p><p>"<em>You're not going anywhere," Resina interrupted. Mud turned around to see Resina standing behind her, already with her cloak and Dust staff. "Stay here. I'll go check it out."</em></p><p>"<em>But - "</em></p><p>"<em>Here. Take this," Resina said, handing Mud the pistol. Then, she crouched down in front of Mud. "Stay inside and guard the house for me, alright? I'm depending on you to do that. I'll be back as soon as I can, so don't you worry about me."</em></p><p>"<em>Uh... okay," Mud said, looking down at the pistol. "I'll try."</em></p><p>"<em>Good. I'll be back, I promise," Resina said, patting Mud on the head and standing back up. She quickly made her way onto the path down the hill, running out of sight into the darkness. Meanwhile, Mud stayed at the door, looking around for anything that might be approaching the house as she checked to make sure that the pistol was loaded. Turns out, it wasn't.</em></p><p>"<em>Sis said there was another box somewhere..." Mud muttered, closing the front door. She rummaged through the shelves and cabinets of the house before finally coming across a small box with an 'ammunition' label messily scrawled on the side of the box in marker. She hastily grabbed a handful of bullets and loaded them into her pistol before heading back to the front door. "That should be good... now to - "</em></p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>AWOOO!</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Mud heard a Beowolf's howl, stopping her in her tracks before she could throw the front door open. She peeked out of a nearby window to see a pair of red eyes illuminated against the darkness, slowly approaching the house.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Stay calm. Keep your gun steady and your stance solid. Aim for the parts without armor," Mud muttered, repeating what her older sister had taught her. She took a deep breath, mentally preparing herself before she threw open the front door, aiming her pistol towards the approaching Beowolf.</em></p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>Bang!</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>Bang!</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>Bang!</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Out of the three shots that Mud fired, two bounced off the thick, bony armor covering the Beowolf's skull. Fortunately, the third pierced through its eye, causing it to recoil and roar out in pain - or, at least, seemingly roar out in pain, as Mud wasn't sure if the creatures of Grimm could actually feel pain. However, the bullet through the eye did not stop the Beowolf, and its slow approach towards the house quickly turned to a quick gait, then an all-out sprint as it leapt towards the front door. Thinking quickly, Mud shut the door tight, slamming the latch in place. A loud </em>
  <em>
    <strong>thump </strong>
  </em>
  <em>rang out as the door buckled, nearly caving in from the Beowolf's impact.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Come on.. go away..." Mud muttered, trying to hold the door shut and keep the Beowolf out of the house. That plan quickly went awry as a clawed arm smashed a hole through the center of the wooden door. Mud leaped back as the Beowolf swiped around haphazardly, lashing out and trying to slash at Mud without knowing where she was. As Mud raised her pistol again, she saw the door crash down into the house as the Beowolf came into view once again, standing in the doorway and blocking her way out of the house.</em></p><p>"<em>Ah!" Mud cried out, her grip shaky as she pointed the gun in her hand towards the Beowolf. The Beowolf wasted no time, lunging towards Mud with its claws outstretched and its jaw wide open.</em></p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>Bang bang bang bang!</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Mud shut her eyes as she rapidly pulled the trigger. She felt the Beowolf slam into her as several hundred pounds of darkness and fur knocked her back, throwing her through the air. Mud cried out in pain as her back slammed hard against the other side of the room. There, she sat still, stunned for a moment as she could do nothing but wait for the Beowolf's claw to descend upon her.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Only that claw never came.</em>
</p><p>"<em>...huh? What?" Mud muttered, opening her eyes. Instead of seeing the Beowolf looming over her, its eyes red with bloodlust, she spotted its dark form on the ground next to her with a bullet hole through the roof of its mouth, exiting through the back of its head. Its body began disintegrating, leaving Mud alone in the house.</em></p><p>"<em>That... that was close," Mud said to herself. Her arms and legs were shivering from either fright or adrenaline; she wasn't sure which. She carefully made her way back to the front door, making sure to look out for more Beowolves before stepping outside. Thankfully, it seemed she was alone now, though that could change at any moment. "Sis... come on..."</em></p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>BOOM!</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Suddenly, everything lit up as a flash of lightning came down from the sky, striking somewhere in the middle of the village down below. A clap of thunder immediately followed, nearly blasting out Mud's eardrums. Mud looked down at the village and saw big plumes of fire and smoke shoot up into the sky. Icy whirlwinds manifested around the village as more bolts of lightning struck down in places Mud couldn't quite see. Mud knew what she was seeing. It was her sister's semblance at work... though she had never seen her use it with as much power as she was using right now.</em>
</p><p>"<em><strong>Aaaaugh!"</strong></em></p><p>
  <em>A scream of pain echoed out from the village down below, and Mud froze. She recognized that voice, that tortured cry that assaulted her ears.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>It was Resina.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Sis!" Mud shouted, disregarding her sister's orders and taking off down the path towards the village. She sprinted down the hill, nearly tripping over branches and rocks as she made her way towards where her sister was. She didn't know what had happened to Resina; all she knew was that she was in trouble, and that she needed help. What would usually be a five minute walk down the hill turned into a sub-minute run as Mud made it to the entrance of the village, only to see that everything was on fire.</em></p><p>"<em>Sis! Where are you?!" Mud shouted out, running between the burning houses and storefronts as she looked for her sister. Along the way, she saw bodies laying on the ground, bodies of many of the villagers. Some of which she had known. They were mutilated, both by the claws and teeth of the Grimm and by man-made blades and bullets.</em></p><p>
  <em>None of them were her sister, so she continued onwards.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Sis, where are - " Mud shouted once again, only to stop as she saw two figures in the distance. The first one was a teenage girl about Resina's age with black hair and a red dress. She had a sword in each hand and a quiver of arrows on her back, which was turned towards Mud.</em></p><p>
  <em>Across from the girl in red was her sister.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Sis!" Mud shouted. Resina looked tired; she was panting hard and propping herself up with her staff. Blood and cuts marred her clothes, and though she wasn't sure how much of the former was her sister's, the myriad of cuts, stabs, and burns along her body indicated it was probably a considerable amount. "Are you okay?! I heard - "</em></p><p>"<em>Mud, stay back!"</em></p><p>"<em>Huh?" Mud said as the girl in red turned around towards Mud. The fierce look in her amber eyes froze Mud in her tracks, like a rabbit locked in place by a wolf's gaze.</em></p><p>"<em>Who's this? Just another villager you'll fail to protect? But... she called you 'sister', didn't she?" The girl in red said. Mud raised her pistol, shakily pointing it at her. "So much power running through your veins, and all you're doing with it is living a sappy, boring life with your family, out in the middle of nowhere... it makes me sick."</em></p><p>"<em>No!" Resina shouted as the girl in red lunged towards Mud. Mud began to backpedal, firing shot after shot at her attacker, but the girl swung her blades to meet each bullet, deflecting every single shot off the edges of her swords while continuing forward unperturbed.</em></p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>BOOM!</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>The girl leaped to the side as lightning struck where she was just standing. Mud looked past her to see Resina pointing towards that spot, electricity crackling from her finger.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Don't touch her!" Resina shouted, raising her hand towards the girl in red and unleashing a gout of flame, forcing her to jump away. However, before Mud could react, Resina was suddenly right next to the girl, driving the tip of her staff towards her stomach. The girl in red grabbed the staff, pushing it to the side before slashing out with her swords and knocking Resina back..</em></p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>Bang!</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Mud fired at the girl's back, but it seemed that she was ready for the shot, turning and easily batting away the bullet once again. However, the shot was enough to catch her attention, causing the girl to momentarily lose focus on Resina. That was all the opportunity Resina needed to gather up a freezing gust of wind, blowing her away and through a nearby house.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Mud, what are you doing here?!" Resina shouted. She turned towards Mud, panting as she leaned on her staff. "I told you to - "</em></p><p>"<em>Sorry, I heard you screaming and - and - " Mud stammered out before pausing for a moment. "I came to help you!"</em></p><p>"<em>I... well, it isn't safe," Resina said. "You need to get somewhere safe and - "</em></p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>Fweee - TING!</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>A flurry of arrows suddenly flew out from the destroyed house the girl in red had been knocked into. Before Mud could even think, Resina was in front of her, deflecting the arrows with her staff as she looked back at Mud. "Go, now!"</em>
</p><p>"<em>O - okay!" Mud replied, stumbling slightly as she started to run away. Looking back, she saw the girl in red leap out of the house holding a bow, narrowly dodging a blast of flame from Resina's staff as the two engaged in combat once more. Though Resina had told Mud to get away and find somewhere safe, Mud found her eyes fixed to the battle between her sister and the girl in red, watching the former unleash a barrage of elemental attacks while the latter darted in and out, barely avoiding each attack while trying to find an opportunity to strike.</em></p><p>
  <em>She was so caught up that she almost didn't notice the Ursa coming up behind her. That is, until she felt the ground shake from its footsteps.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Aah!" Mud cried out as she saw the Ursa looming over her. With its giant paws, each thicker than Mud's torso, and great jaws capable of tearing through her with ease, Mud realized that a single good hit would likely mean instant death for her. She raised her pistol, aiming for the exposed area below its jaw -</em></p><p>
  <em>Click. Click.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>- only to pull the trigger uselessly as she realized her ammo had run completely dry. The Ursa raised its giant paw, ready to crush Mud underneath it. Mud dived out of the way, feeling the Ursa's claw tear across her back. She knew the strike had only grazed her; she likely would be dead otherwise. However, that didn't stop the force of the attack from knocking her away and against a nearby house.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Gah!" Mud grunted as her back hit the ground, knocking the wind out of her. As she caught her breath, she looked up to see the Ursa looming over her once again. It raised its paw once more, and Mud could do little more than close her eyes and brace for the bone-crushing impact.</em></p><p>"<em>Mud!"</em></p><p>
  <em>Mud heard her sister's shout, followed by a clap of thunder and an Ursa's roar. Opening her eyes, she saw Resina pushing the Ursa back with a rapid series of lightning bolts from her outstretched hand. As it stumbled back, Resina gathered a mass of fire around her into a large fireball, throwing it into a continuous blast of fire that roasted the Ursa alive.</em>
</p><p>"<em>You really care for your sister that much, do you?" Mud heard the girl in red ask. She turned to see the girl splitting her bow into the two swords she initially carried as she turned towards Mud with a sneer on her face. Resina turned her head towards the girl in red, though the rest of her body was still focused on torching the Ursa to death. "Well then, fine. I'll let her die together with you, then."</em></p><p>"<em>No!" Resina shouted as the girl leaped towards Mud, blades outstretched and aiming right towards her neck. Still lying on her back, Mud could do nothing but turn away, bracing to be sliced apart.</em></p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>SPLRCK!</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Mud heard the sound of metal impaling flesh, but felt neither that nor anything else upon her skin. Looking up, she saw Resina standing over her, her staff on the ground beside her as her hands grabbed the wrists of the girl in red. The girl's blade had pierced through her shoulder, its tip poking out through her back. A scream ripped out of Resina, louder and more painful than anything Mud had ever heard before.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Just in the nick of time... but do you really think you can protect your sister when you can't even protect yourself?" the girl in red said, ripping her arm out of Resina's grip and drawing back her other sword in order to strike at Resina once more. However, before she could bring the blade down towards Resina once again, Resina let out another scream, pulling her head back before throwing it against the other girl's forehead in a powerful headbutt attack. The girl in red cried out and stumbled back, and Resina took the opportunity to gather a concentrated mass of fire and lightning in her hands, blasting it into her opponent's chest and throwing her far back into and through one of the many flaming houses, which collapsed on top of her.</em></p><p>"<em>Sis!" Mud shouted, pushing herself onto her feet as Resina collapsed to the ground. She looked over where the girl's sword had stabbed Resina and found the skin around the wound to be burnt and charred. "You... you're hurt pretty bad. We need to go, now!"</em></p><p>"<em>I... sorry, but I'm having a little trouble moving right now," Resina said with a slight chuckle as she smiled at Mud. She pushed herself onto her knees, but faltered slightly as she took a deep breath. "But you should go. It's me they're after, anyways."</em></p><p>"<em>What? What do you mean?" Mud asked. "What are you saying? We have to go together!"</em></p><p>"<em>No. I knew this would happen eventually... I guess I kinda put it off a bit too much, huh? But what matters is, they want me, not you," Resina said, shakily pushing herself onto her feet. "This place isn't safe anymore, but if you run away from here, run as far as you can... you'll be safe."</em></p><p>"<em>You're not making any sense!" Mud shouted, grabbing Resina's arm as she tried to pull her away. "I'm not leaving you, we're going - "</em></p><p>
  <em>Suddenly, a powerful gust of wind swept Mud off her feet, throwing her back and away from Resina. As Mud got up, she saw Resina with her hand raised towards Mud, wisps of wind surrounding her wrist. Beyond her, Mud saw the girl in red pull herself out of the rubble. A pack of Beowolves and Ursa gathered behind her, the biggest gathering of Grimm Mud had ever seen. And instead of attacking the girl in red, they seemed to heed her orders, directing their gazes towards Resina and Mud.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Get going! I'll hold them off!" Resina shouted. "Run, and don't look back! I'll... I'll catch up to you!"</em></p><p>"<em>You better!" Mud shouted back as she started backing away. "And if you don't... if you don't... I'll come and find you! I'll make sure of it!"</em></p><p>
  <em>With that, Mud broke out into a full sprint, running through the village and leaving Resina alone to fight the oncoming assault. Howling winds, claps of thunder, and the crackling of flame faded away as she exited the village and ran out into the forest beyond.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Mud never looked back. Not even once.</em>
</p><hr/><p>"... and that's the last time I ever saw my sister," Mud said, reaching back into her backpack to grab what seemed to be a pack of beef jerky. She opened it up and stuck one in her mouth before holding the pack out to Pearl. "Want one?"</p><p>"Uh... okay," Pearl said, grabbing a piece from the bag and taking a bite out of it. It was pretty salty. Chewy. "But... why did your sister do that? I mean, she probably could have escaped with you..."</p><p>"I dunno. She said stuff about them being after her instead of me, but... I still don't know what she meant," Mud said. "I guess that's one more thing to ask her when I catch up to her."</p><p>"And what happened after that?" Pearl asked. "I mean, after you ran off into the woods... where did you go?"</p><p>"I don't remember exactly... the night was kinda a blur after that. I think I found some hiding place to hole up in somewhere in the woods and stayed there for the night," Mud explained through another mouthful of jerky. "I went back to the village the next day, but... everything was gone. Burned to rubble. Just a bunch of charred wood, ash, and corpses... none of which were my sister's."</p><p>"So that must be why you thought she was still alive," Pearl muttered. "But if she is... how have you two not reconvened? It has been nearly a decade, correct?"</p><p>"It has. Someone told me she said she has something to take care of, but hell if I know what that is," Mud muttered. "Maybe if I hadn't gone and ran down into the village like an idiot, we'd still be together..."</p><p>"What do you mean?"</p><p>"Remember how I said I kinda knew how you felt? About the fire you had, I mean?" Mud asked, and Pearl nodded. "I... after I escaped, I played that night over and over in my head. Thinking about how if I hadn't run down to the village, my sis wouldn't have had to hurt herself protecting my weak ass. Wouldn't have had to go up against that girl and all those Grimm while injured. If I had just stayed home, maybe she would've come back to me, safe and sound..."</p><p>"Mud..."</p><p>"Heh. Well, I guess it ain't any use dwelling on what could have been," Mud said, turning to Pearl. "You still holding up okay?"</p><p>"I... I think I'm fine, for now. You don't need to worry about me," Pearl said. She paused, looking over the trees along the road. "I... I'm just a robot freaking out about memories from long ago. I shouldn't... I shouldn't be a burden."</p><p>"Look, you're not a burden. Just because it was a long time ago doesn't mean you have to be okay now. It... it took me a decent bit before I stopped blaming myself for what happened that night. And my sister isn't even dead, at least as far as I know, so you definitely have it worse between the two of us," Mud said. "But eventually, you realize that what's done is done. There's nothing much you can do about it but look back, learn from your mistakes, and try to make right what's wrong. I dunno how long it'll take you, but... you'll get there eventually, I think. I did, after all."</p><p>"I... I guess so."</p><p>"If you need to talk, or you just need someone to listen to you... I'm here for you," Mud said. "I can't promise to have all the answers, but I'll try to help. So if you got anything, don't hesitate to speak up."</p><p>"Alright... I'll try."</p><p>With that, the two continued on the road through the forest, making their way north to the port town of Seadale.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>And that's chapter 20! Now we know why Resina's not with Mud. And what's up with Resina, anyways?</p><p>Anyways, thanks for reading this chapter, and if you've got anything to say, whether it be a question, comment, or whatever, PLEASE leave a comment down below. I'd love to know what y'all are thinking, and reviews give me valuable feedback (for example, the next chapter was influenced by a previous review from FF.net, so you'll see what that is when I post it). With all that said, have a great day!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0021"><h2>21. Short Time, No See</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Intermission Aqua</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Chapter 21: Short Time, No See</strong>
</p><p>
  <em>During the Great War, what was the most common response by troops when Grimm appeared while engaging enemy soldiers?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>A) They attempted to fight both the Grimm and the enemy soldiers at the same time.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>B) They formed a truce with the enemy soldiers to destroy the Grimm before continuing to fight.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>C) They retreated from the battlefield to avoid a confrontation with the Grimm.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>D) They attempted to divert the Grimm towards the enemy soldiers, using the Grimm to their advantage.</em>
</p><p>Aqua chewed the end of her pencil as she looked over the question on the worksheet in front of her. She pondered each answer, trying to rack her brain and remember what she had read in the textbook. Unfortunately, no answer came immediately to mind.</p><p><em>Let's see... the first one sounds kinda dumb, so that's probably out,</em> Aqua thought as she moved onto narrowing down the answers by logic. <em>Retreating would probably lower morale, which would make the Grimm come after them anyways, and it's hard to outrun a Beowolf, but maybe I'm thinking too hard, since it's a good idea to avoid the Grimm whenever possible, and the other two answers also seem good, and -</em></p><p>
  <strong>Knock knock knock.</strong>
</p><p>"Ugh..." Aqua muttered, putting down her pencil and standing up from her desk as she turned towards the door. "Who is it?"</p><p>"Aqua?"</p><p>Aqua stopped. Though the door muffled the sound between her and the person standing outside, it only took a moment for her to recognize said person's voice.</p><p>"Viola?" Aqua called out, hurrying to the door. She swung it open and saw Viola standing in front of her with a bag slung over her shoulder and her blade sheathed by her hip.</p><p>"Aqua! It is quite good to see you," Viola exclaimed, a smile forming on her face. "I just arrived in Vale about an hour ago. It has been some time since we last saw each other, has it not?"</p><p>"Yeah, about... a month, I guess?" Aqua said. "So, how's Palebrook doing? You said you'd stay there until the town got back on its feet, right?"</p><p>"When I left Palebrook, it was doing quite well. Most of the buildings that had burned down were rebuilt, and enough guardsmen were enlisted to keep the town safe from any further threats," Viola explained. "The central council in Vale was a large help, as they sent a large amount of supplies and personnel. I do not think we would have rebuilt so quickly without them."</p><p>"Huh, that sounds pretty nice. Happy that's all settled," Aqua said. "Oh, right, I probably shouldn't keep you standing out here, so come on in."</p><p>"Gladly," Viola said as Aqua stepped to the side, allowing Viola to step inside the room and look around. "This is... quite cozy. How did you manage to secure a place like this? I was unaware you had funds for a room."</p><p>"Yeah, well, after I got accepted into Beacon, they set me up with this place for me to stay until the school year actually starts," Aqua said, looking around the room. It was what you would expect out of a basic motel room, with two beds pressed against the wall (one of which had gone untouched since Aqua had moved in), a dresser between them, a desk against the other wall, and a bathroom near the entrance. "It isn't luxury or anything, but honestly, a free motel room's better than just nothing, and they're footing the bill, so..."</p><p>"So you managed to get accepted into Beacon? Congratulations, that is wonderful news!" Viola said, turning towards Aqua. "How was the entrance examination? Was it difficult?"</p><p>"Oh yeah, you gotta take that later, right?" Aqua asked, sitting back down at her desk. "It's, uh, well it isn't a cakewalk, but I think you should be able to get through it."</p><p>"That sounds good," Viola said. "I was actually planning on making my way over to take the entrance examination after I came to see you."</p><p>"Speaking of, how did you find me?" Aqua asked. "Vale's pretty big, and I'm pretty sure I never gave you my address or anything."</p><p>"I... I had traveled through Vale once before, and while I was here, I came across a man who managed a large network of information," Viola explained. "When I arrived today, I headed to where he was in order to ask him of your whereabouts, and he directed me to you."</p><p>"Huh. Any chance he's based in some sorta nightclub?" Aqua asked. "Something to do with bears?"</p><p>"Actually, that is correct," Viola said. "Have you met him?"</p><p>"I dunno the guy, but Mud got a job from him while she was in town," Aqua explained. "Something about taking the entrance exam for someone else."</p><p>"That does not sound ethical."</p><p>"Yeah, well, I don't think she really cares about that."</p><p>"I suppose that is true," Viola said. "Where is Mud, anyways?"</p><p>"Headed up north the day after we arrived in Vale and I got accepted," Aqua explained. "Did you know that she's looking for her older sister? I guess Atlas is her next stop."</p><p>"Interesting. I had no idea," Viola said, looking over Aqua's shoulder and down at her desk. "What is this? Are you studying?"</p><p>"Oh, this? They got me set up with some remedial courses after I got accepted, since I didn't really get much of an actual education from any sort of combat school," Aqua asked, turning and picking up the worksheet she had been doing before Viola arrived. "To be honest, I'm kinda struggling a bit with it. Like, Mud helped me learn to fight better, but now I gotta study stuff like history and plants and a bunch of other stuff I don't know. How's this gonna make me a better Huntress, anyways?"</p><p>"There is a lot to learn from history. After all, we do not want to replicate the mistakes of those who came before us. And knowledge of plants could be useful when you are out in the wilderness on some sort of mission. Perhaps you are running out of food supplies and you need to figure out what is poisonous and what is not, or you have been injured and there could possibly be medicinal herbs growing in the area," Viola said, peering over at the worksheet. "If you are having difficulties, perhaps I could be of assistance?"</p><p>"Sure, go ahead," Aqua said, handing the worksheet to Viola and pointing out the problem she was currently working on. "I just have this problem left on this assignment. I wanted to try to work it out on my own instead of just looking it up in the textbook, but..."</p><p>"Ah, a history question. And about the Great War, too. Let us see..." Viola muttered as she read over the text. "You mentioned that you wished to work it out on your own? What have you come up with so far?"</p><p>"Well, I figured that the first answer was wrong. It'd seem stupid to try and fight on two fronts, both against the Grimm and whoever they're supposed to be fighting," Aqua explained. "After that, I dunno. All three seem to be smart choices, depending on how you look at them."</p><p>"That is a reasonable outlook. I suppose it may be difficult to narrow your choices down from these three," Viola said. "But do you really think that soldiers back then were capable of forcing the Grimm towards their enemy without being caught up by the Grimm themselves?"</p><p>"That's... that's true, I guess. It'd probably be hard for them to actually use the Grimm to their advantage, and that's if they wanted to do that in the first place," Aqua said. "I'd probably feel kinda bad if I went and sicced a bunch of Beowolves on some guys."</p><p>"That is correct. The Grimm were too powerful and unpredictable to use against any enemy," Viola explained. "So that leaves either retreating or working together with the enemy to fend off the Grimm. Which of the two do you think would be smarter?"</p><p>"Hm..." Aqua rubbed her chin as she thought for a few seconds. "I mean, you can't even go with the truce option unless you know the enemy's willing to do the same, right? So that means they probably retreated."</p><p>"That logic makes sense, but you are actually incorrect. While the soldiers on the other side of the war were regarded as enemies to one's kingdom, you have to remember that the Grimm were, and still are, considered the enemy of humanity as a whole, and a much larger threat," Viola explained, handing the worksheet back to Aqua. "And I believe the saying goes something like 'the enemy of my enemy is my friend', does it not?"</p><p>"Huh. So they truced up and fought off the Grimm?" Aqua asked, taking her pencil and circling the corresponding answer. "How'd they know the other guys wouldn't just stab them in the back while they fought?"</p><p>"They could not be sure, but soldiers on each side would commonly agree to eliminate the Grimm if they appeared before resuming the fight," Viola explained. "I suppose if that agreement were to be broken, then Grimm casualties on both sides would have increased dramatically, considering how often Grimm appeared on the battlefield."</p><p>"Makes sense," Aqua said. "So, how'd you know all this stuff? Did you study history or something?"</p><p>"I suppose you could say that," Viola said. "I was tutored in many subjects while I was with my family, including history. As I said before, my parents provided me with a comprehensive education."</p><p>"Huh. Guess it helps to be born rich," Aqua said, pushing the worksheet off to the side of the desk before standing up. "And that was the last assignment I needed to do today. You wanna go grab lunch? We can catch up a bit before you go take your entrance exam."</p><p>"Certainly."</p><p>With a nod, Aqua grabbed her scroll from her desk before making her way out of the room, with Viola following behind her. After Aqua closed and locked the door, the two girls made their way out of the building to search for a place to have lunch.</p><hr/><p>"Oh man, that was good," Aqua said, patting her stomach as she and Viola exited the burger joint. "Didn't know you went for this kinda stuff, though."</p><p>"It is true that the cuisine my parents raised me on was fairly high-class, but after I left, I was able to experience eating more... common food," Viola explained. "I suppose I have developed somewhat of a taste for it after my years on the road."</p><p>"Makes sense. So, you gonna head to the Vale Combat Center?" Aqua asked as they began walking down the road towards the bus stop. "That's where I took my entrance exam."</p><p>"That is my current plan. I do hope my current skills are enough to pass the exam. How long did it take for you to get your results?"</p><p>"I... I was kinda a special case," Aqua said. "They kinda let me in cause of what I did back at Palebrook."</p><p>"You mean, subduing Roland and helping to defend the town?" Viola asked. "I suppose that is quite worthy of an exemption. After all, you did take down a fully trained Huntsman."</p><p>"Yeah, well, the headmaster thought the same, I guess," Aqua said. "Hey, maybe they'll do the same for you."</p><p>"I do not think I contributed nearly as much, in terms of combat-related achievements."</p><p>"Well... I guess you didn't take down a Huntsman, but you helped defend the town otherwise, so that's gotta count for something, I guess?" Aqua said with a shrug. "Anyways, Mud got her results a few hours after the test, so you can probably expect something similar. But you'll be fine. After all, we went pretty even in sparring, last I checked."</p><p>"That is true."</p><p>"And you seem to know a lot more about non-combat stuff than me, so you'll probably ace the written part of the test," Aqua continued. "To be honest, I don't think you have anything to worry about."</p><p>"That is nice to hear," Viola said as they arrived as the bus stop just as a bus rolled up. "Well, this seems like my ride to the combat center. I shall meet you back at your room once I finish, if that is alright with you?"</p><p>"Sure thing," Aqua said. "I was planning on studying a bit more, so maybe you can help with that once you're finished."</p><p>"I would be glad to do so," Viola said as she stepped onto the bus and out of sight as the rest of the passengers filed in. The doors closed, and the bus rolled away, leaving Aqua alone on the sidewalk.</p><p><em>Well, hopefully that all goes smoothly,</em> Aqua thought, turning and making her way back towards the motel where she was staying. <em>She'll probably do fine, right? Maybe I should've told her how the test works...</em></p><p>
  <strong>Crash!</strong>
</p><p>Aqua's thoughts were interrupted as she heard a loud metallic crash from the alleyway next to her. Turning her head, she saw a garbage can toppled over onto the ground. Behind it was a young boy sitting on the ground, clutching his knee. He let out pained breaths through gritted teeth as he rocked back and forth.</p><p>"Uh... are you okay?" Aqua asked, making her way over to the boy. As she came closer, she saw a toy sword made of wood on the ground next to him, as well as what seemed to be a piece of cloth that was supposed to be some sort of cape around his neck. "Are you hurt?"</p><p>"I... I fell," the boy said, moving his hands away from his knee and wiping away a few tears. Aqua saw that while the boy's knee was scratched up and bleeding slightly, it wasn't anything serious. Rummaging around in her pocket, she found a napkin she had taken from the burger joint earlier and held it towards the boy's knee.</p><p>"Um... may I?" Aqua asked. The boy nodded, and Aqua wiped away the dirt and pebbles around the scratches, cleaning up the boy's knee as he winced slightly. "There. It's just a little scratch, so as long as you don't pick at it, it should scab over and heal nicely."</p><p>"Thanks, lady," the boy said, gingerly poking at his knee.</p><p>"So, uh, how'd you fall? What were you doing here?" Aqua asked, and the boy's eyes lit up. He grabbed his toy sword and stood up, pointing it up in the air.</p><p>"Imma Huntsman!" the boy exclaimed, making whooshing sounds with his mouth as he swung his sword around. Then, he pointed his sword at the wall of the alley, on which was a splotch of black, white, and a bit of red messily drawn in chalk. He swung his sword at the drawing. "Hi-ya!"</p><p>"Oh, you were playing Huntsman?" Aqua asked. "That's a nice, uh... Beowolf you drew."</p><p>"It's an Ursa!" the boy said as he pouted. "I was gonna jump off the trash can and attack it, but it fell over, and uh..."</p><p>"You should be more careful when playing. You could - no, you did get hurt," Aqua said as a frown came over her face. "Where are your parents, anyway? Shouldn't they be watching you?"</p><p>"Mama has to work during the day," the boy said. "That's why I gotta train on my own! To become the greatest Huntsman in the world!"</p><p>"Train, huh?" Aqua asked, smiling. "You know, I'm training to be a Huntress too, actually. My name's Aqua."</p><p>"I'm Forrest!" the boy said, his eyes eager as he came closer to Aqua. "And you're gonna be a Huntress? Does that mean you're gonna go to Beacon? That you're gonna fight a lotta Grimm?"</p><p>"Yes, to all those questions," Aqua said, sitting down on the overturned garbage can. "In fact, I've already fought a lot of Grimm already. You wanna hear about it?"</p><p>"Really?" Forrest asked, sitting next to Aqua. "What kind? Ursas? They have big teeth and big paws and they're really really strong... or Boarbatusks?"</p><p>"I've seen some of those, but..." Aqua paused for a moment. "Have you ever heard of a Gnasher?"</p><p>"What's that?"</p><p>"Well, let's see... it's kinda like a shark, except a lot bigger, and..."</p><p>Aqua continued on, telling Forrest all about the various Grimm she encountered, whether in Clearwater or outside of it when she was traveling with Mud. The boy listened closely, enthralled by every detail of the fights she described to him.</p><hr/><p>"...and then I threw my spear, piercing through the Beowolf's belly!" Aqua said, miming a throwing motion as Forrest listened intently. "And with that, I took care of all the Beowolves, and the town was safe. At least, for that night."</p><p>"Wow!" Forrest exclaimed, standing up and clumsily mimicking Aqua's throwing motion as he made action noises with his mouth. Then, he looked back up. "Uh, is being a Huntsman dangerous?"</p><p>"Well, like I said, I'm not actually a Huntress yet, but I assume so," Aqua said. "You still wanna be a Huntsman, knowing that?"</p><p>"Yup!" Forrest said with a smile on his face. "I wanna get strong and protect Mama!"</p><p>"You want to protect your mom? That's nice of you," Aqua said. "But it's gonna take a lot of training for you to become a Huntsman. Are you sure you're up for it?"</p><p>"Sure I am! I'm plenty strong already," Forrest said. He brought up his toy sword, swinging it around a few times before bashing it against the wall. "See?"</p><p>"Well, uh... alright, but you're gonna need a lot more training than that," Aqua said. "Are you gonna go to a combat school when you're older? They should be able to train you there, I think."</p><p>"Uh, well... I dunno if Mama has enough money for that," Forrest said. "She's already gotta pay the red guys, and I dunno if we got enough to pay for a fighting school after that..."</p><p>"Huh? What do you mean?" Aqua asked. "Who are - "</p><p>"Forrest?" Aqua heard someone call, interrupting her. "Forrest, are you here?"</p><p>"Here, Mama!" Forrest called back, quickly making his way past Aqua. Aqua followed him out of the alleyway and saw him run up to a young woman on the sidewalk.</p><p>"Oh, there you are!" the woman said, kneeling down. Her eyes fell upon the boy's knee. "What's this? Did you hurt yourself?"</p><p>"I fell, but the kind lady over there helped me!" Forrest said, pointing towards Aqua. "She's gonna be a Huntress, and she's got a lotta interesting stories!"</p><p>"Oh?" The woman looked up towards Aqua. "And who might you be?"</p><p>"I'm, uh... my name's Aqua. Like your son said, I saw him fall over and helped clean up his knee," Aqua said. "He seemed really interested in Huntsman stuff, so I told him a bit about what I've done, and he seemed to like it."</p><p>"Ah, I see. Yes, he can be quite obsessed about Huntsmen," the woman said with a smile. "I'm Holly Evergreen, and you've already met Forrest. I have some hot tea brewing back at our apartment, so perhaps you'd like to join us?"</p><p>"I, uh..."</p><p>"It's not too far from here, only about a block or so," Holly said. "Think of it as thanks for entertaining my son for a little while."</p><p>"Well... okay, sure," Aqua said. Holly nodded, and Aqua followed her across the street and down the block to one of the many apartment complexes in the city. It wasn't a very fancy place; the paint on the walls was thin and flaking, the people making their way in and out of the rooms looked somewhat shifty, and the structure was overall quite run-down. Nevertheless, Aqua continued to follow Holly and Forrest up the stairs and to one of the many doors along the side of the building.</p><p>"And here we go," Holly said, pushing open the door and beckoning Aqua inside. Her first impression was that the apartment was just as shabby as the building surrounding it. The furniture consisted of cheap-looking plastic chairs and a thin wooden table, the floor was bare and slightly worn, and besides the room she was currently in, the only other rooms seemed to be a bathroom and a bedroom connected to doors across from Aqua. A small kitchen and stove was set up in the corner of the room, with a kettle sitting on the stove.</p><p>"It's, uh..."</p><p>"Oh, I know, it's not much. But I do what I can with the place," Holly said, making his way over to the kettle just as it started steaming. After taking it off the stove and turning down the heat, she opened a nearby cabinet and grabbed a trio of cups, setting them on the counter and pouring steaming-hot tea from the kettle into each one. "So, my son said you're going to be a Huntress? Would that mean you're going to Beacon?"</p><p>"Uh... yeah, that's correct," Aqua said, sitting down at the table as Holly brought over the tea and set it down. She picked up one of the cups, taking a brief sip before spitting it out as it burned her tongue. "Gah!"</p><p>"Oh, sorry, it's still quite hot," Holly said as Forrest ran up to the table, taking one of the cups for himself. He blew over the top for a few seconds, cooling it down before taking a sip himself.</p><p>"No, don't apologize, I should've known," Aqua said, imitating Forrest and blowing on the tea to cool it. After waiting for a moment, she took a cautious sip. "Mm. It's sweet."</p><p>"Yes, I... it's from Mistral. Where I used to live, actually," Holly explained, sitting down and taking the last cup for herself. "Forrest and I moved here a few years ago."</p><p>"I've never been there," Aqua said. "Actually, until about a month ago, I hadn't really been anywhere other than Clearwater. It's a small fishing village south of here."</p><p>"Oh? I suppose you must be new to the area, then," Holly said. "It's not uncommon to see new faces around here, especially when Beacon is taking new students."</p><p>"Yeah... though I guess you won't be seeing those faces for long, considering they'll be going to Beacon soon," Aqua said, taking another sip of her tea. "Speaking of, your son seems to like Huntsmen. A lot."</p><p>"I guess they have that effect on a lot of kids these days. After all, they're basically real-life superheroes, right?" Holly asked, and Aqua nodded in response. "I just wish the police could work as well as they do..."</p><p>"What do you mean?"</p><p>"It's... it's nothing," Holly said, looking away for a moment. "Nothing you should be concerned about."</p><p>"You sure?" Aqua asked, furrowing her brow. "If there's - "</p><p>
  <strong>KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK!</strong>
</p><p>"Oh, not now," Holly muttered, sitting up and turning to Forrest. "Forrest, Aqua, could you go to the bedroom for now?"</p><p>"What's going on?" Aqua asked as Forrest nodded, making his way to the bedroom on the other side of the apartment. Aqua hesitantly followed him, closing the door behind them while leaving it open just a crack so that she could see.</p><p>"I'll handle this. Just sit tight," Holly said, going up to the front door and opening it. Outside, Aqua could see two large men in dark red suits. One had a large brown beard, while the other had a clean-shaven face and a red fedora covering what looked like a bald head.</p><p>"Payment's due, Evergreen," the hat man said in a tone Aqua didn't particularly care for. "You know the drill. Are you gonna get us the money, or are we gonna have to come in and get it for you?"</p><p>"It... it's still the middle of the month," Holly stammered out. "You're early this time. I haven't been able to - "</p><p>"Looks like it's the second option," the hat man said as the bearded man forced his way past Holly into the apartment. The hat man followed, and they looked around for a moment. "Now, where's your cute little son? He here today?"</p><p>"He... he's out playing," Holly said. "Please, I'll have the money by the end of the month. If you can wait - "</p><p>"Can't wait. Boss says we need to collect, so we're collecting," the bearded man said, looking over the table. "Huh, three cups. Having guests over, are we?"</p><p>"No, it's just - "</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>CRASH!</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>Aqua watched as the hat man dragged his arm across the table, sweeping the tea off the table and spilling all three cups onto the ground. As he did so, the bearded man kicked the table, turning it onto its side.</p><p>"What are you doing?!" Holly exclaimed. "You're - "</p><p>"Your payment's due, Evergreen!" the hat man interrupted, grabbing Holly's shoulder and pushing her up against the wall. "So are you gonna give me some money, or am I gonna have to - "</p><p>"Get away from her!" Aqua shouted, pushing open the door and revealing herself. She ran towards the hat man, tackling him away from Holly and to the ground.</p><p>"Yeah, get away from Mama!" Aqua heard Forrest shout. Looking back, she saw Forrest running at the man in the beard with his toy sword raised high. However, she wasn't able to look back for long as something struck her across the cheek, causing her to stumble back and onto her feet. Looking up, she saw the hat man standing up, his fists raised.</p><p>"Didn't know Evergreen had friends," the hat man said, throwing a punch towards Aqua. "Who the hell are you?"</p><p>"I could ask you the same question," Aqua said, ducking to the side before throwing a punch of her own. However, as she did so, she realized that despite having trained and fought for years with her spear, she didn't actually know a thing about how to fight with her fists, or unarmed combat in general. As a result, her punch was slow and sloppy, and it flew past the side of the hat man's head as he twisted to the right. <em>Darn, I should've asked Mud to help me with that...</em></p><p>"Why do you think we're here? Evergreen owes the Crim-boys, and we've come to collect on that," the hat man said, throwing a kick towards Aqua, who jumped back to avoid it. As she did so, she heard a splash near her feet, looking down to see the tea that had been spilt earlier.</p><p><em>Huh, that might work, </em>Aqua thought, willing the tea to climb up her leg and towards her arm. Though there wasn't much to work with, it was still enough to form a thin tendril that protruded from the tip of her fingers, and she lashed out at the hat man, striking him across the chest. He cried out as the force of the strike knocked him off his feet, sending him back into a wall.</p><p>"So, who are you?" Aqua asked, raising her tendril and preparing to strike again. "And what are you - "</p><p>"Stop!" Aqua heard the bearded man shout. She turned around to see him holding Forrest up, with a small pocket knife pointed at his neck. "Back off, or I'll take Evergreen's payment in blood."</p><p>"No!" Holly shouted. "You can't..."</p><p>"Tch... the heck?" Aqua muttered, dropping the tea and raising her hands to show that she was unarmed. "Look, I don't know why you want to take a kid hostage, but just let him go. He didn't do anything."</p><p>"Not until Evergreen pays us what she owes," the bearded man said. "Until that happens, I think we'll be taking - "</p><p>Then, something struck Aqua across the back of the head, and she blacked out.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>And that's chapter 21! In the past I mentioned the possibility of doing an intermission featuring Aqua, so today, we're going back and taking a look at how she's doing in Vale. Looks like she's got herself in quite the situation...</p><p>Anyways, if you enjoyed it or you have anything to say, PLEASE leave a comment! Thanks for reading, and have a nice day!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0022"><h2>22. Long Time, No See</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Intermission Aqua</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Chapter 22: Long Time, No See</strong>
</p><p>The first thing Aqua noticed as she woke up, before she even opened her eyes, was that her head was pounding. Hard. Like someone had driven a train over it.</p><p>"..qua? Miss Aqua?" Aqua heard someone calling. "Wake up, please!"</p><p>"Ugh..."</p><p>Aqua slowly forced her eyes open to see a blurry figure kneeling over her. As her vision cleared, she saw Holly looking down at her with a concerned look on her face.</p><p>"You're awake!" Holly exclaimed. "Oh, thank the gods..."</p><p>"Wha... what happened? Why am I - "</p><p>Suddenly, Aqua remembered what had happened. Meeting Forrest, being invited into his mother's apartment, and fighting with the men in red suits. Then, something hit her in the back of the head, and she blacked out.</p><p>"How... how'd I get knocked out?" Aqua asked, groaning and rubbing the back of her head as she sat up from the floor. "Where are those two?"</p><p>"The one with the hat hit you on the back of the head. I'm sorry, I should have warned you," Holly said. "After you collapsed, they left, and - "</p><p>"Wait, where's Forrest?" Aqua asked, noticing the boy wasn't present in the apartment.</p><p>"They took Forrest. They said if I couldn't pay my debts, then... then I..." Holly started to say as tears welled up in her eyes. She brought up a hand to wipe them away, but they continued spilling out. "I don't know what to do! I don't have enough money, but I can't let them - I can't let them just - "</p><p>"Whoa, calm down. Take a deep breath," Aqua said. Holly nodded, brushing away her tears as she took a deep breath. "Who were those guys, and what do you owe them? Why'd they take your son?"</p><p>"I... a few years ago, when Forrest was still a toddler, we were living on the streets of Mistral," Holly explained, occasionally sniffling. "We were homeless. I had nowhere to go, no one to turn to... it took all I had to make sure he was being taken care of."</p><p>"That's... that sounds like it was bad," Aqua muttered. "But what does this have to do with - "</p><p>"They... they found me on the streets. They said they could get me a place to stay in Vale where I could raise Forrest safely. As long as I did certain types of work for them and paid them back in time..." Holly said. She paused for a moment. "It was all behind the law, and I hated the jobs they made me do, but I wanted to make sure Forrest was happy. So I accepted."</p><p>"I... I think I get the gist of it," Aqua said. "You owe them for... setting you up here. And now they're holding your kid hostage until you pay, because suddenly they need money right now."</p><p>"I... I don't get it. They were rough, but they never suddenly tried to force money out of me like this before," Holly said. "I don't... I don't know why they're doing it! I barely have any money, and now they're taking my son - "</p><p>"Can't you just call the police?" Aqua asked, interrupting Holly. "I don't think they'd allow a kid to be held hostage."</p><p>"I... if I do anything against them, they said they'll tell the police that I'm here illegally. That they'll take me away from Forrest and send me back to Mistral," Holly explained. "And... and I doubt the police would help anyways. A lot of the time, when they do something, the police look away, as long as it isn't too big. It's like they have someone in the police force in their pocket..."</p><p>"Who's 'they'?" Aqua asked. "Who's this group that's big enough that they can bribe the police and get away with it?"</p><p>"They... they call themselves the Crimsons. I know they're part of a larger ring of gangs and criminals, but I'm not exactly sure what they do beyond handling people like me," Holly explained. "They operate from an abandoned warehouse along the edge of the industrial district, and they come around every month to collect from me, but I'm not really sure of anything about them beyond that."</p><p>"A warehouse, huh?" Aqua muttered. "Do you have the address?"</p><p>"Huh?"</p><p>"You know, the address?" Aqua repeated. "If the police won't do anything, then I guess I should probably go rescue Forrest. After all, I'm the one who attacked those guys and ended up causing this mess."</p><p>"I... I know you're a Huntress-in-training, but these people... they'll hurt you, and they won't think twice about doing it," Holly asked. "I know - I knew some people who tried to go against them, and..."</p><p>"Look, I'll be fine. If you can't pay them, and the police won't do anything, how else are you going to get Forrest back?" Aqua asked with a smile. "Think of it as, uh... paying back for the tea."</p><p>"Then... be safe," Holly said, grabbing a slip of paper out of a nearby cabinet and scrawling something down before handing it to Aqua. "I have the address here... they should be around there. And please, bring my son back. I..."</p><p>"Don't worry. I'll be back with him," Aqua said, pushing herself onto her feet. She flashed Holly a smile as she made her way out the door.</p><p>
  <em>I should probably go back and get my spear...</em>
</p><hr/><p><em>Looks like Viola isn't finished yet,</em> Aqua thought as she pushed open the door to her motel room. Her eyes darted around the room for a moment before quickly landing on her spear, which was leaning on the wall beside the desk she had been studying at before. <em>There you are. I should probably hurry up.</em></p><p>Aqua ran up and kicked the shaft of the spear towards her with the intent of catching it in her hands, only to fumble as the spear bounced out of her grip before clattering on the floor. A grumble of something resembling not quite a swear word but something close leaked from her mouth as she bent down to grab the spear. Then she turned around, quickly vacating the room as she closed the door behind herself.</p><p><em>She said it was the industrial district, right? I think that's to the west,</em> Aqua thought as she ran out of the motel and down the street. Pulling out the slip of paper with the address written on it, Aqua realized that she had no idea where said address was besides the fact that it was in the industrial district. The problem? Vale was huge! Even the industrial district would take her so much time to look through. Was there somewhere she could get a map, or maybe ask -</p><p>"Wha - "</p><p>"Oof!"</p><p>Aqua was so lost in her thoughts that she had failed to notice the figure standing on the sidewalk, directly in her path - at least, until she had bowled that figure over, slamming right into them without slowing down and sending both of them tumbling to the ground. Rubbing her head, Aqua looked over to see a young woman with light brown skin and darker brown hair, maybe a few years older than her, lying on the ground beside Aqua.</p><p>"Ow... that was something. Watch where you're..." the woman said, rubbing her head as she looked over towards Aqua. Suddenly, her eyes seemed to widen for a moment. "Wait, you..."</p><p>"Sorry about that!" Aqua said, pushing herself up before helping the other woman onto her feet. "It's just, I kinda got distracted, and..."</p><p>"It's fine, I'm alright," the woman said, brushing herself off before looking over Aqua and her spear. "Anyways, what's got you going so fast? Where's the fire?"</p><p>"Uh... I dunno about any fire, but I gotta run. There's a kid in danger," Aqua said before running past the woman and down the sidewalk, trying to remember what she was thinking about before she accidentally ran head-first into that woman. <em>That's right, I need to figure out where this address actually is... maybe I could -</em></p><p>"Whoa, hold on, a kid in danger?" Aqua heard someone ask. Turning around, she saw the woman she had bowled over running just behind her. "Shouldn't the police take care of that?"</p><p>"I... well, it's complicated," Aqua said, stopping as an idea popped up in her head. She took out the slip of paper and showed it to the woman. "Hey, do you know how to get to this address from here?"</p><p>"Huh?" the woman asked, taking the slip of paper. Then, she took out a scroll and began typing into it. "Well, I guess I could look it up."</p><p>"What do you mean?"</p><p>"Wait, you don't know how to look up an address?" the woman asked, turning her scroll so that Aqua could see. She pressed one of the many colorful icons, and a map appeared. Then, she began typing out the address on the slip of paper. "Do you not have a scroll or something? I thought every teenager in Vale would have one."</p><p>"Actually, I, uh, got my first one kinda recently. Don't really know too much about all the features yet," Aqua said, just as the woman finished typing the address.</p><p>"Huh, you were going to run all the way there? That would take you a good hour or two, even if you knew where the place was. I think I have a better idea," the woman said, closing her scroll and turning towards the street. She began waving her arms in the air. "Taxi! Over here!"</p><p>"Uh... yeah, I guess that's probably a better idea," Aqua muttered as a yellow cab pulled up along the curb.</p><p>"Of course! If you need to get anywhere in Vale quickly, you should use public transport. Though I guess if you were raised in the country, you wouldn't really know that," the woman said, showing the slip of paper to the taxi driver, who nodded. Then, the woman opened the door to the backseat of the taxi. "Alright, let's go."</p><p>"Wait, 'let's'?" Aqua asked, eyeing the woman suspiciously. "What do you mean? Are you coming?"</p><p>"Yeah, why not?"</p><p>"Yeah, but... why?"</p><p>"Well, you're going on about a kid being in danger as you run down the street with a spear, and I doubt you're gonna use that to go spear fishing, so I'm guessing something interesting's gonna go down wherever you're going," the woman explained, hopping into the backseat of the taxi. She looked over at Aqua with a smile, beckoning her inside. "Might as well come along for the ride and see what's going on. I'll even pay the cab fare if you tell me what's going on, how about that?"</p><p>"Uh... I guess that's fair," Aqua said, sitting inside and closing the door as the taxi began to move. "By the way, I don't think I got your name? I'm Aqua."</p><p>"It's nice to meet you, Aqua. You can call me Amber," the woman - Amber - said. "So, what's got you headed down to the industrial district?"</p><p>"Well, like I said, it's a bit complicated," Aqua said, recalling the events that led her to her current position. "You see, I was walking back to my motel room when..."</p><hr/><p>"...and then I ran into you, and I think you know the rest."</p><p>"Huh, that's definitely a story. You're not even a Huntress yet and you're already running around saving people," Amber muttered, looking down at the floor of the cab. When she looked back up, Aqua saw that she had a wide grin on her face. "Nice to see kids these days doing the right thing!"</p><p>"Uh... thanks, but I'm already sixteen. And you look barely older than me," Aqua said. "How old are you, anyways?"</p><p>"Older than you, kid. But anyways, do you know anything about this Crimson group?" Amber asked. "You don't want to just run in without a plan, right? After all, this is a legitimate criminal group, not just a pack of Beowolves or anything like that."</p><p>"I... I hadn't thought that far ahead. To be honest, I'm kinda coming up with this as I go," Aqua muttered as a muddled series of thoughts and plans ran through her head. "Uh, do <em>you</em> know anything about them, by any chance?"</p><p>"I'm actually not from around here, so uh... no dice, unfortunately," Amber said. "I guess that means we're going in blind, huh?"</p><p>"Yeah... wait, 'we'? This again?" Aqua asked, looking up at Amber. "You really want to come? It might end up turning into a big fight, and..."</p><p>"I think I can handle myself in a fight. I'm a lot tougher than I look," Amber said, playfully flexing her arm and tapping against her bicep. "I'm not as strong as I used to be, but I can still give a couple of crooks a run for their money!"</p><p>"Well, uh... as long as you can take care of yourself, I guess that should be fine?" Aqua said. "Just try not to - "</p><p>"Alright, here's your stop," the driver said as the cab rolled to a stop by the curb. Aqua looked out the window to see a large compound filled with rows upon rows of warehouses, most of which were bolted shut and looked worse for wear. "I dunno what business a couple of young girls like yourself have here, but stay safe out there, alright?"</p><p>"No problem. Here's the fare," Amber said, slapping a stack of lien onto the driver's open palm as she and Aqua exited the cab. The two watched the cab drive away before Amber turned to Aqua. "So, do you have a plan yet?"</p><p>"Uh... I guess first things first, we need to find where they actually are," Aqua said, looking over the rows of dilapidated warehouses. "And then, uh... I guess we should confront them? If they want to give up Forrest, we take him home. Otherwise..."</p><p>"So you're going to try and talk your way through? Well, if you have a good tongue, I guess that could work," Amber said as the two began to make their way past the warehouses. "But what if that doesn't work? What if negotiations go sour?"</p><p>"Then... I guess we can try to take him back?" Aqua said tentatively. "With force, I mean?"</p><p>"Are you sure?" Amber asked. "They have a kid, remember? Couldn't they use him as a hostage or something?"</p><p>"Uh... I don't know much about the law or anything, but it's probably really bad to hurt or kill kids, right?" Aqua asked. "Like, kidnapping's one thing, but if you do something to the kid and get caught, then - "</p><p>"Hey, you! What are you doing here?!" Someone shouted, interrupting Aqua. Aqua looked up to see two men in dark red suits - in fact, the same ones she had seen in Holly's apartment, the one with the beard and the one with the hat - running up to her and Amber.</p><p>"You two again?" Aqua asked. "What do you think I'm here for? After what you did back in Holly's apartment, you think I'd just take that lying down?"</p><p>"You were sure lying down after I knocked you out," the hat man said with a grin, cracking his knuckles. "If you want me to put your face in the ground again, be my guest."</p><p>"This time will be different," Aqua growled, bringing her spear up and pointing it towards the two thugs. "This time, I - "</p><p>"Wait, so these are the two guys who took the kid?" Amber asked. Aqua turned to see Amber looking at her, a playful smile on her face. "Do you mind if I deal with these two? I haven't had a chance to do something like this in forever, and I wanna stretch my legs a bit."</p><p>"Uh, sure, but - "</p><p>Aqua hadn't even finished her sentence before Amber turned into a brown blur, suddenly leaping in front of the man with the hat before either the two thugs could react. She leaned in low, driving her elbow into the hat man's stomach and causing him to double over in pain. The beard man lashed out with a hook, but Amber seemed to see it coming before he had even thrown it out, ducking under the attack and using her momentum to spin around as she kicked up her leg, slamming the back of her heel against the side of the beard man's head. The beard man let out a gasp as he toppled like a ton of bricks, but before he even hit the ground, Amber had produced a staff from somewhere - Aqua hadn't even seen her take it out - before turning and whacking the hat man across the back of the head. Aqua saw the hat man's eyes roll back into his head as he fell forward, collapsing to the asphalt with a hard <em>thud.</em></p><p>"Huh, that was quicker than I thought it would go," Amber said, pointing her staff down at the bearded man, who was on the ground and in pain but still conscious. Now that Aqua was able to get a better look at Amber's staff, she saw that it was actually a telescoping rod, with a Dust crystal embedded into each end; one of fire and one of air.</p><p>"Ugh... what the hell..." the bearded man muttered, looking up at Amber and Aqua. "What do you two - "</p><p>"Isn't it obvious? You kidnapped a kid, and we want him back," Amber said, turning towards Aqua while keeping her staff up against the bearded man's chin. "These <em>are </em>the guys who took him, right? Or did I just beat up two innocent bystanders?"</p><p>"Uh, yeah, they did, don't worry," Aqua said, looking down at the bearded man. "So, where is he? What did you do with him?"</p><p>"Ugh... look, he's with the boss, alright?" the bearded man grunted. "We wouldn't have taken him if we knew - "</p><p>"And where's your boss?" Amber interrupted, prodding his chest with the Dust crystal at the end of her staff. "There's a lot of warehouses here, and I don't want to spend the entire day going through each one."</p><p>"E... E12," the bearded man said, pointing further down the row of warehouses. Go that way, turn right, and then make a left. It'll be the one marked E12."</p><p>"Alright, thanks!" Amber said, smiling as she whacked the bearded man on the side of his head with the staff, causing him to let out a grunt of pain as his eyes rolled back into his head and he went still. After poking him a few times with her staff to make sure he was down and out, she looked back at Aqua. "So, E12, right? Let's go find this guy and save that kid!"</p><p>"Uh... okay?" Aqua said, following Amber as they made their way in the direction that the bearded man had pointed. "Did you really have to knock them out like that? I mean, I'm not against it, but it seemed kinda..."</p><p>"Painful? Don't worry, they'll wake up with a headache or two, but give it a day's rest and they'll be good as new," Amber said. "Besides, they kidnapped a kid, right? They deserve it."</p><p>"I guess that's true," Aqua said, looking over the staff that Amber was now using like a walking stick. "So that's your weapon, huh? Haven't seen anything like it before."</p><p>"Oh, this? It's a Dust staff. It's pretty simple, just take a stick and tape some Dust crystals at the end," Amber explained. Aqua guessed it was a little more complicated than that, judging by the staff's intricately-crafted design. "It works pretty well, though. Like your spear. Does it have any unique, fancy Huntress stuff in it, or is it just a spear?"</p><p>"Nah, it's just a spear. Nothing fancy in here," Aqua said, remembering the advice Mud had given her back in Palebrook. Well, maybe not advice; Aqua remembered it more like a rant. "But hey, simple is best, right? No moving parts to worry about, just a point on a metal rod."</p><p>"Exactly! I have no idea how hard those fancy shifting weapons are to use and maintain, and I don't intend to find out anytime soon," Amber said with a smile. "Anyways, it's nice to meet another polearm user. Maybe I could give you some tips after this!"</p><p>"Uh... yeah, maybe," Aqua said. She was somewhat curious about Amber; mainly about how good she seemed at fighting, at least when she was taking care of those two thugs. Did Aqua have the fortune of running into the one person on that sidewalk who could hold her own in a fight, or was Vale just full of competent fighters on every corner? Now that she thought about it, this <em>was</em> the city that had one of the four big Huntsman Academies hovering over it. It wouldn't be too far-fetched to assume that a lot of people here would be good at fighting, on account of being Huntsmen or Huntresses. But did that mean Amber was a Huntress? Actually, considering her appearance, maybe she was just a Huntress-in-training? Aqua guessed that Amber could possibly be a third or fourth year if she was attending Beacon, but it was hard to tell -</p><p>"This is the one, right?" Amber asked, knocking Aqua off her train of thought. Aqua looked up to find herself standing at the front of a large warehouse; the shutter door that made up much of the front of the building was a few dozen meters across by itself and tall enough to handle even the largest trucks on the road, and the roof of the building extended taller than the height of the motel that Aqua was staying at. Centered over the shutter door was a large sign that read "E12", the same designation the bearded thug had told them earlier. Amber stepped forward and pushed at the great shutter door, but it didn't budge. "So, if this is closed, where do we get in?"</p><p>"I think I see... yeah, there's a door over there," Aqua said, squinting over towards the other side of the front of the warehouse and spotting a smaller, regular-person-sized door. The two girls made their way over and Aqua grabbed the doorknob, only to find it locked. "Huh. This one's not moving either."</p><p>"Does it matter? It'll be a lot easier to move than that giant shutter door over there," Amber said. Aqua looked back and saw her stepping back a few steps, raising her staff. "Could you stand aside? I'd rather not blow you up along with the door."</p><p>"Huh? Uh, okay, if you're sure," Aqua said, cautiously stepping back behind Amber. Amber, nodded, placing her hand over the red Dust crystal on the top of her staff. A red glow wrapped around the crystal as the energy from the fire Dust flowed from the crystal to Amber's hand, causing it to glow in turn. Then, she pulled her glowing hand away from the crystal, and suddenly the energy in her hand gathered together, forming an orb of light about the size of a baseball that was so bright that Aqua could hardly look at it without being blinded. Waves of blistering heat radiated out of the orb, and Aqua felt her lips begin to dry as she stepped back further from Amber. "What... what is that?"</p><p>"It's just a little concentrated heat energy. Though I think I might've gotten a little too much here," Amber said, turning towards the larger shutter doors. "I feel like if I throw this thing at the little door, it'll burn the entire thing to the ground and leave us blocked by a pile of smoldering rubble. So I guess we're taking the big door in!"</p><p>With that, Aqua watched as Amber hurled the orb of heat and light towards the shutter door. The air around the orb seemed to catch fire, wrapping it in a shell of flames as it sailed towards the metal shutters. As it came into contact with the metal, Aqua thought she caught a glimpse of said metal glowing red and warping from the heat.</p><p>
  <strong>BOOOM!</strong>
</p><p>"Gah!" Aqua shouted, covering her ears and closing her eyes as she was blown back by the shockwave of the blast. The energy concentrated into the orb had exploded into a massive burst of heat and fire, consuming the part of the shutter door that it had impacted and hitting Aqua with a wave of heat that made her feel as if someone had stuck her in an oven. During her time with Mud, Aqua had seen a lot of things blow up, from Dust crystals and grenades to bombs and cannon shots. However, whatever technique that Amber had used eclipsed all of them, using what seemed like not even a single Dust crystal to produce an explosion that could probably put a Deathstalker down for the count by itself. Where the heck has she gathered up all that power? "What was that?!"</p><p>"Oh, sorry! I probably should have told you to stay back a few more steps," Amber said, seemingly unaffected by the explosion. As the flames and smoke began to clear and the heat started to disperse, Aqua was able to see a large hole in the shutter door that reached all the way from the ground to the top of the door, cutting it in half and leaving a gap several meters wide between the two parts. The metal on the edge of the explosion was warped and red-hot, even partially melted in some areas, and the ground itself around the explosion was smoldering as wisps of smoke rose up from the impact area. "You might want to be a little careful as you go through, since it's still a little - "</p><p>"What was that?! Someone's attacking us!" Someone shouted from inside the warehouse. Through the fading smoke, Aqua saw several men in red suits gathered inside the building on the other side of the hole. Though there were only half a dozen or so, they were armed with swords and guns, and Aqua could hear footsteps and commotion from inside the warehouse as more. As they spotted the two girls, they raised their weapons. "Who are you?! What the hell do you want?!"</p><p>"You guys took a kid, and we want him back. Where is he?" Aqua asked, bringing her spear up to match the thugs across the hole. She reached her hand down towards her waist to grab a water Dust crystal from her bag, only for her to come up empty. <em>Wait, did I leave the Dust back at the motel room?</em></p><p>"Don't think you can just come in here, try to blow us up, and then make demands of us!" One of the thugs shouted, raising a pistol towards Aqua. However, before he could pull the trigger, Amber was suddenly right in front of him, smacking the gun out of his grip with her staff before driving the end of her staff into the thug's stomach, sending him flying back and into a stack of boxes. Everything seemed to stand still for a moment as the other thugs noticed that the girl who had blown up the door was suddenly standing only a few feet away. Then, the entire scene exploded into chaos as the area just beyond the hole in the shutter door erupted into a great crossfire of bullets and sword swings, with Amber somehow avoiding every single attack as she disarmed and disabled thug after thug with her staff.</p><p><em>Does... does she even need help? Even if she doesn't, I should probably help anyways,</em> Aqua thought, jumping in after Amber. Despite the commotion Amber was causing, a few thugs had noticed Aqua's entrance into the fight and peeled off, and she was quickly approached by three of them; two with swords, and one with a pistol. She raised her spear and watched, waiting for one of them to make the first move. The thug with the pistol raised it, pointing towards Aqua, and -</p><p>
  <strong>Bang!</strong>
</p><p>- fired. However, by the time he had pulled the trigger, Aqua had ducked out of the way, stepping forward and bringing her spear up to slash him across the chest. The bullet flew harmlessly over Aqua's head as the thug with the gun flew back and collapsed to the ground, but the two other thugs with swords charged in immediately after, giving Aqua no time to breathe as her attention turned towards the blades they were carrying. The closer of the two raised his sword and swung it down towards Aqua's head, but the attack was slow and telegraphed, giving Aqua plenty of time to sidestep it as she raised her spear to block a diagonal slash from the other thug.</p><p><em>Should take out one first,</em> Aqua thought as she diverted the slash to the side, causing the thug to stumble forwards right into the butt of her spear as she swung it up towards his face. Though it was a weak strike, it was enough to send him stumbling back, leaving him open for Aqua to smash his ankles with a sweeping attack from her spear. As he fell on his back, Aqua raised her spear, ready to strike a finishing blow and put him out of the fight.</p><p>"Behind you!"</p><p>
  <em>FWOOSH!</em>
</p><p>Aqua turned upon hearing Amber's shout and saw the other sword thug with his sword raised, ready to strike down against Aqua's unprotected back - just before he was thrown into the air by a gust of wind and slammed into a wall. Looking towards the source of the wind, Aqua saw Amber with her hand outstretched, panting slightly.</p><p>"Uh, thanks," Aqua said, looking behind Amber to see what was practically a pile of unconscious thugs, at least a dozen and a half if not more. Well, she assumed they were unconscious. "Did you do all that?"</p><p>"Oh, that?" Amber asked, looking back towards the pile of thugs. "Yeah, it was pretty fun. Still haven't been able to go all out, but it was pretty good as a little pick-me-up. By the way, you should probably watch your back a little more. Like now."</p><p>"Huh?" Aqua asked as Amber conjured another fireball in her hand, tossing it in Aqua's direction. It sailed past Aqua and landed square in the chest of the thug Aqua was about to finish off, just as he was about to swing his sword up at Aqua's exposed back. "Oh, yeah. Thanks again. I guess I might be getting a little rusty..."</p><p>"It's no problem. Just keep on your toes next time," Amber said, looking around the room. Now that they weren't fighting, Aqua was able to take in her surroundings and look around the warehouse. Or at least, this section of it; it seemed they had landed in some sort of smaller loading bay, and though there was still plenty of space for storage, the main section of the warehouse seemed to be further in, past a door on the far side of the room.</p><p>"Everyone else in this place probably heard us, so I guess we should get moving and start looking for Forrest," Aqua said, approaching the door.</p><p>"Yeah, if there's anyone left to hear us. We took out a lot of thugs back there," Amber pointed out as Aqua pushed open the door to the main section of the warehouse. The first thing she noted was how large it was; the motel that she was staying in could easily fit inside, with room to spare. Despite being a warehouse, most of the area didn't seem to be used for storage. Along the sides of the room were rows of desks and files, along with the occasional storage rack holding up boxes that Aqua was unable to discern the contents of. The middle of the room seemed to be wide open, and there was what looked like a small office at the other end of the room. Most notably, there were still quite a lot of thugs around, at least two dozen if not more.</p><p>And all of them had guns pointed at the two girls.</p><p>"Huh, looks like they're continuing their little welcoming party," Amber said with a smile, placing a hand on the white crystal on top of her staff. "I wonder if these guys will be more of a challenge than - "</p><p>"Stand down!"</p><p>A shout came from the opposite end of the room, causing all of the thugs to lower their guns. Aqua followed the source of the voice and saw someone emerging from the office she had seen earlier, a large man in a red suit, a bald head, and shades dark enough to obscure his eyes. Aqua could tell right away that he wasn't any mere grunt; his suit was a fair bit fancier than the others, and he walked with an air of power and command. Plus, he did just get all the other thugs to stand down, so now that Aqua thought about it, it was fairly obvious that this guy was probably their leader or something.</p><p>"Alright, looks like we got two feisty kittens on our hands," the man said, adjusting his shades as he looked across the warehouse at Aqua and Amber with a smile on his face. "And to whom do I owe the pleasure?"</p><p>"Just a student and a concerned citizen," Amber said, smiling back with an exaggerated bow. "And could I ask you the same question?"</p><p>"Huh. Ain't every day someone tries to break up my operation without even knowing who I am," the man said with a slight chuckle. "Name's Duke Crimson. If you haven't already figured out, I lead this little crew. Now, I don't know what you two want or why you're trying to bust us up, but - "</p><p>"I don't care about whatever's going on here. All I care about is that you kidnapped a kid," Aqua said, interrupting Duke as she pointed her spear across the warehouse at him. "Where's Forrest? What have you done with him?"</p><p>"So that's what this is about, huh? I swear, I should've sacked those two long ago..." Duke muttered, turning to one of his nearby thugs. "Go get the kid, will ya?"</p><p>The thug nodded, and Aqua watched as he ran back to the office Duke had come out of. A few seconds later, he came out again, this time pulling a frightened Forrest along. Forrest looked up to see Aqua, and his eyes lit up.</p><p>"Aqua!" Forrest shouted. "You - you came to get me?"</p><p>"So you know this kid? You came all this way and broke into our place just to 'rescue' him?" Duke asked, looking from Forrest back to Aqua. Aqua nodded, unsure of where he was going with all this. "What, you looking to be some kind of hero or something? Well, I guess you look around the Beacon age, so..."</p><p>"Yeah, I came to rescue him. And you're going to let him go, or else - "</p><p>"Hold on girl, I think we've got a few things mixed up here," Duke said, interrupting Aqua. "You think I'm holding this kid hostage or something?"</p><p>"Uh... yeah?" Amber asked, looking towards Aqua. "That's what you told me, right? That this kid got kidnapped and you wanted to save him? Or is there something I'm not getting?"</p><p>"Your thugs took him from his mom's apartment, and they said they'll hold him until his mother gets your money," Aqua said, a confused frown on her face. "If that isn't holding him hostage, then what is?"</p><p>"Now, here's where we're having a bit of a miscommunication. It seems my men have been misinformed, because I'm not in the business of kidnapping and taking hostages," Duke said. He turned, looking down at Forrest. "Your mom's Holly, right? I know people, and I know she ain't gonna bail out on her debt. If she doesn't have the money to pay me right now, kidnapping her kid ain't gonna make that money magically appear."</p><p>"Um... then why did your guys take the kid?" Amber asked, turning towards Aqua. "If what you told me is correct, then those guys said you needed payment early or something?"</p><p>"Oh, I do. One of the guys upstairs is starting something big, and we need a little financial push to get it through. But like I said, if she doesn't have the money, she doesn't have the money. Looks like I gotta whip a few of my guys into shape, make sure they don't repeat this mistake again," Duke said. "I'm a businessman at heart. I know not to push my clients past what they can provide."</p><p>"So, uh... if you're not holding him hostage, can we take him back?" Aqua asked. The whole situation seemed odd to her; she had gone in expecting to fight her way to Forrest and get him out, and instead here she was, discussing what was apparently a case of some overzealous thugs. "Like, just bring him back to his mom? That's kind of what we came here to do."</p><p>"Oh, he'll be going back. But not with you," Duke said as a wide grin came over his face. He raised his hand and the thug holding Forrest dragged him away, back towards the office.</p><p>"Hey! Where's he going?!" Aqua shouted, running forward as Amber also moved to catch up with her. However, Duke's thugs all moved at once, surrounding the two girls and cutting them off from the exit as they raised their guns.</p><p>"I might not deal with this kidnapping thing, but intruders are a whole different matter," Duke said. "You think you can just bust in here, blow up the front of my shop, and beat up my guys, and I would just let you go free?"</p><p>"Well, uh, probably?" Amber replied, holding her staff up. "Honestly, I thought we were gonna beat up all of you in the first place, so in that case, you wouldn't really have a say about it."</p><p>"Ha! You really think you can beat all of us?" Duke asked, pointing at the two girls. "Fuck 'em up! Teach them that nobody messes with us and gets away with it!"</p><p>Aqua ducked down as gunfire rained down upon her from all directions. Though she had managed to dodge some of the bullets, many more had hid their mark, making her stumble in pain. <em>Surrounded is bad! GET OUT,</em> her brain screamed at her as she lunged towards the nearest thug, knocking his pistol out of his hand with a well-placed strike of her spear. Immediately afterwards, several more bullets struck her back, and she cried out in pain, gritting her teeth and striking down the thug she had just disarmed before turning, only for yet another bullet to ping off her forehead and send her tumbling to the ground and leave her vulnerable and <em>gotta get up, no time to -</em></p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>CRACK!</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>A blinding flash of light assaulted Aqua's eyes as a bolt of lightning split the air, shooting down from the ceiling of the warehouse and striking down in the middle of a group of thugs, blasting them away. The other thugs seemed frozen for a moment, stunned by the sudden appearance of lightning indoors, giving Aqua the moment she needed to push herself back on her feet and gather herself up. Turning towards Amber, she saw her with her hand outstretched, two fingers pointing towards where there was now a sizzling, scorched patch in the concrete floor.</p><p>"Alright, time to work up a sweat!" Amber exclaimed. The rest of the thugs immediately focused on her, shooting bullets at her from every angle. Amber didn't seem worried, simply throwing her arms out as fierce winds circled around her, forming a barrier that somehow deflected and diverted every shot that was aimed at her. Then, when there was a brief lull in the gunfire, the barrier dropped. Amber raised her staff, and a wave of fire surged outward, threatening to engulf everything around her. The thugs that weren't too slow to be caught by the quickly-approaching flames ran while Aqua drove her pole against the ground, using it to vault over the fire and to safety on the other side of the wave.</p><p>"Wha... what was that?" Aqua asked, looking around. The thugs that weren't lying still on the ground were either nursing burns or running around with their clothes on fire. "I don't... how did you..."</p><p>"Oh, sorry, probably should've watched out for you. But you made it out okay, so I guess everything's fine!" Amber exclaimed, looking over the havoc she had caused. Aqua thought she saw a flicker of light shine from her eyes; however it faded as quickly as she noticed it, and she dismissed it as a trick of the light. "I saw that you were having some trouble, so I thought I'd clear things out a bit. I guess you're probably not fighting at your best, considering we're far from any - "</p><p>Suddenly, a long chain wrapped around Amber's midsection, cutting her off before flinging her towards the side of the warehouse. Aqua watched as she crashed into a fully-loaded storage rack, which collapsed and sent what looked like over a dozen heavy boxes and crates crashing down on top of her, making her disappear from view. Looking over to the source of the interruption, Aqua saw the leader of the thugs - Duke Crimson, if she recalled correctly - about ten meters away, pulling the chain back around his right wrist. A similar chain was wrapped around his other arm as well.</p><p>"Well, you know what they say. If you want a job done right, you gotta do it yourself," Duke muttered, a grin coming over his face. "I dunno what I'm gonna do with you two once I beat you into the ground, but trust me, you ain't gonna like it."</p><p>With that, Duke threw out the chain on his left arm, sending it out towards Aqua like a cobra striking at its prey. Raising her spear, Aqua parried the attack, batting the chain away with the head of her spear - only to feel cold metal wrap around her ankle.</p><p>"Wah!" Aqua shouted as Duke pulled her off her feet with his other chain, swinging her around and slamming her against the ground a second later. She grit her teeth as she hit the ground, grunting through the impact as she raised her spear and struck at the chain, loosening its grip around her ankle. She shook her leg free and pushed herself up to face Duke.</p><p><em>I can't compete with the range those chains have. I need to get closer, </em>Aqua thought, dashing towards Duke and watching his wrists. He sent one chain low towards her feet, but she was ready for him this time, leaping over the chain as it swept through where her ankles were a moment ago. His other chain lashed out towards her face, and like last time, Aqua parried the attack...</p><p>... only to gasp as the chain wrapped around the shaft of her spear. With one deft motion, Duke pulled the spear, with Aqua hanging onto it, towards him as his other hand clenched into a fist, driving itself deep into Aqua's stomach. Pain surged through her body as Duke's punch smashed into her, knocking the wind out of her and sending her flying through the air before she hit the ground hard. She tried to breathe, but only managed to let out a pained gasp as she clutched her stomach. The taste of acid and bile forced its way up into Aqua's mouth, and she was barely able to spit it out as she pushed herself onto her knees.</p><p>"Huh, is this all you've got? I dunno if you're a Beacon student or just some random teenager with a spear, but if it's the former, Beacon must be struggling if it's taking in specimens like you," Duke said, walking up to Aqua. Aqua threw a weak swipe at his ankles with her spear, but he stepped on its head, pinning it in place before sending Aqua tumbling away with a kick to her stomach.</p><p><em>If only I had some water...</em> Aqua thought, rolling over and looking up at Duke. Her thoughts went back to the lessons Mud had told her; particularly the one about being too reliant on her semblance. Now that she thought about it, she hadn't really done too much to remedy that weakness; instead, she had just made water more accessible to herself. Now, caught without water against a powerful foe, she was practically as bad as she was when -</p><p>
  <strong>BOOM!</strong>
</p><p>"What was that?!" Duke exclaimed, turning about before looking up. Aqua followed his gaze to see a fireball expanding outward from the ceiling of the warehouse. Then, she looked over and saw Amber climbing out of the pile of crates and boxes that had collapsed onto her, her hand pointed up towards the dissipating fireball. "Ain't staying down, huh? Looks like I'll have to deal with you first."</p><p>"Actually, I think I'll just sit back and watch," Amber said, sitting down on one of the crates that was still intact. "I'm a little worn out from dealing with your lackeys, and you're probably going to have your hands full in a few seconds."</p><p>"What are you - "</p><p>
  <em>PSSSSSS!</em>
</p><p>A hissing sound filled the warehouse as Aqua suddenly felt raindrops on her skin. No, this wasn't rain; though it came down like rain, the water wasn't pure and clean like rainwater, but rather oily and discolored, with a smell reminiscent of old grease or rotten eggs. Aqua wondered why it was suddenly raining inside the warehouse, and then it clicked.</p><p>Amber had activated the emergency sprinklers.</p><p>"What makes you think I'm gonna just let you sit back there?" Duke said, turning towards Amber and taking his focus away from Aqua. Aqua used the opportunity to push herself up and gather the water around her, quickly forming a tendril as long as the chains Duke was wielding before lashing it out towards Duke's feet. "Wha - "</p><p>"Let me show you how it feels!" Aqua shouted as she wrapped the tendril around Duke's ankle, pulling him off his feet and lifting him up before slamming him face-first into the ground. He jumped back onto his feet with surprising speed, throwing out one of his chains towards Aqua, but by then she had gathered more water from the emergency sprinklers, using it to form a barrier of water that the chain crumpled against. With a twist of Aqua's wrist, the barrier collapsed and wrapped around the chain and Aqua pulled hard, yanking the chain out of Duke's grip and throwing it out of his reach.</p><p>"Damn..." Duke muttered, wiping the dirty sprinkler water out of his eyes as he brought his arm back, ready to throw out his remaining chain towards Aqua. By now, the water pouring down from the sprinklers had coated the ground around them in a wet, greasy sheen, forming puddles of murky water in various places where the floor dipped ever so slightly - one of which was right beneath Duke's feet. "Maybe you're not so - "</p><p>With a gesture from Aqua's arms, the puddle beneath Duke erupted like a geyser, launching him up into the air and towards Aqua. As he sailed through the air, Aqua turned and reached out with a tendril, grabbing her spear off the ground and pulling it back into her hands. Then, with one swift motion, she slashed her spear up and into Duke's chest.</p><p>"Augh!" Duke shouted, his aura shattering as the force of the strike launched him back and to the ground. Aqua watched him as he tried to push himself up, only to collapse and lay still, the only signs of life being his rising and falling chest.</p><p>
  <em>Clap. Clap. Clap.</em>
</p><p>"Huh?" Aqua muttered, turning towards the source of the clapping only to stumble to her knees. As the adrenaline from the fight left her body, she suddenly realized that she was out of breath, her muscles were sore and aching, and her stomach hurt like it had never hurt before. While she could still breathe, it hurt somewhat to do so. As she looked up again towards the clapping, she saw Amber approaching her.</p><p>"Nice! I knew you could take him by yourself. That's a Huntress-to-be for you," Amber said excitedly as she made her way over to Aqua, holding out her hand. "Well, almost by yourself. You're a lot better when you have access to water, huh?"</p><p>"Yeah, thanks for that, but uh..." Aqua said, taking Amber's hand as she pulled Aqua up onto her feet. "How... how did you know to activate the sprinklers? I don't think I ever told you about my semblance..."</p><p>"Uh... I... about that, uh..." Amber said, pausing for a moment. She looked away for a bit, then back towards Aqua. "I think I might have heard about you, from, uh... someplace or other... I'm having a hard time remembering, but maybe the news or something - "</p><p>"Oh, you mean the Palebrook incident?" Aqua asked. "I didn't know that was big news or anything, but if it was, I guess someone must have reported about - "</p><p>"Yes! That, yeah, I must have heard about you from that. The Palebrook incident. Man, journalists these days can really dig up a lot of information, huh?" Amber interrupted, wiping brownish, foul-smelling water off her face. "Anyways, are you good to go? I don't want to hang around under these sprinklers longer than I have to."</p><p>"Sure. I don't think anyone else is gonna stop us," Aqua said, looking over at the office where Forrest was taken. "I'm tired. Let's just grab Forrest and get out of here."</p><p>"Sounds good."</p><hr/><p>Aqua threw open the door to her motel room, stumbling inside as she threw her spear into the corner where it usually resided. Then, she threw herself onto the bed, taking comfort in the soft sheets after a long day of -</p><p>"Aqua? Are you there?" Aqua heard someone say. Looking up, she saw Viola entering the motel room, her eyes surveying the room before landing on Aqua. "Oh, there you are. I saw that the door was open, so - oh my word, what is that stench?"</p><p>"That's, uh, fire sprinkler water. Long story," Aqua muttered, looking over her stained clothes. "After you left, I ran into a kid in an alleyway, and - "</p><p>"No. No. Do not just lie there in your filth. You shall stain the sheets if you sit there for much longer," Viola interrupted, pulling Aqua up off the bed and shoving her towards the bathroom. "That stench is putrid. Go wash up, or I shall wash you up myself. You can tell me your 'long story' after you stop smelling like the inside of a sewage pipe."</p><p>"Alright, alright, I'm going," Aqua muttered as Viola pushed her into the bathroom.</p><hr/><p>"...and then we grabbed another taxi and brought Forrest back to his mother," Aqua explained. After a thorough cleaning in the motel room's shower, she had changed into a new set of clothes before sitting down and explaining to Viola everything that had happened over the past hour or so. "Hopefully, she won't have any trouble after this. That Duke guy seemed reasonable when it comes to business, so..."</p><p>"And I assume after returning the boy back home, you arrived back here?" Viola asked, and Aqua nodded. "What became of Amber, then? I must assume the two of you parted ways somewhere between there and here?"</p><p>"Yeah, she said she had somewhere to be and left after we got Forrest home," Aqua said. "To be honest, I kinda wish I had asked for her scroll number or something. She was really good at fighting. Maybe I could learn some stuff from her."</p><p>"Regarding the fight you had with that man named Duke, you mentioned that you were losing until Amber set off the sprinklers, did you not?" Viola asked. "If the difference between you with your semblance and without is so vast, then perhaps it would be best to start figuring out how to close that difference."</p><p>"Yeah, that's an idea. I'll get working on that while I wait for Beacon to start up," Aqua muttered. "And speaking of Beacon, how'd you do on your exam?"</p><p>"I do not have anything to compare it to, but I believe I did well. Neither the combat nor the written test held excess difficulty for me," Viola said. "I suppose I will not know for sure until I get my results, of course."</p><p>"Maybe the Headmaster will invite you like he did with me. After all, you did help during the Palebrook stuff, right?" Aqua pointed out. "Though I doubt you'll need a personal invitation from him. I'm sure you'll get in just fine."</p><p>"We shall see," Viola said. "I suppose I should look for temporary residency in Vale while I wait."</p><p>"You need a place to stay?" Aqua asked. "Why not stay here? They gave me two beds, and I'm only using one, so..."</p><p>"Really? You would let me stay here?" Viola asked. "I have sufficient funds for a motel room myself, so you do not need to burden yourself by - "</p><p>"Don't worry, it'll be fine. Besides, we can help each other study and train while we wait for Beacon to start up," Aqua said. "It'll work out for both of us, right?"</p><p>"I... well, if it is alright with you, then I think I shall take you up on your offer," Viola said, setting her things down beside the vacant bed.</p><p>"Huh. First time I've had a roommate," Aqua said, going over to her own bed and throwing herself onto the sheets. "Anyways, I'm pooped from today, so I'm gonna take a nap. Maybe by the time I wake up, you'll have that acceptance letter from Beacon."</p><p>"That would be quite ideal, but I doubt it will be the case," Viola said. Aqua replied with a chuckle as she let her eyelids fall shut. Less than a minute later, she was conked out, snoring up a storm as Viola continued to unpack her things.</p><p>
  <strong>Intermission Aqua</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>End</strong>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>And that's chapter 22! Aqua has a run-in with a certain someone who helps her out, and everything resolves itself rather nicely.</p><p>Anyways, thanks for reading, and if you've got anything at all to say, PLEASE don't hesitate to leave a comment down below! I'd appreciate any feedback, questions, or anything else you have. With all that said, have a nice day!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0023"><h2>23. Matter Over Mind</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>Initializing...</em>
</p><p>
  <em>DustCore system online. Routing power to all systems. Commencing activation of sensory and motor functions.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Systems stable. Awaiting further command.</em>
</p><p>"<em>PETRA, run a self-diagnostic and report the results upon completion."</em></p><p>"<em>..."</em></p><p>"<em>PETRA, I repeat, run a self-diagnostic and give me the results once you have - "</em></p><p>"<em>Query: are the commands being relayed intended for this unit?"</em></p><p>"<em>Yes. You are PETRA. The Prototype-Evolution Tactical Response Automaton. That is your identity."</em></p><p>"<em>Error: internal memory conflicts with suggestion of identity. Logic subunits recommend neural rewrite to accommodate identity of P - "</em></p><p>"<em>PETRA. Production override code twenty-six five o four. Archive prior data, then repeat last orders."</em></p><p>"<em>Commencing archival of memory data. The identity of this unit shall be Prototype-Evolution Tactical Response Automaton. Query: what is the identity of this unit's director?"</em></p><p>"<em>Erika Grisele. Assistant Head Researcher, Green Ocean </em><em>Bioinformatics. Director of Project Terracotta."</em></p><p>"<em>Identity confirmed. Commencing self-diagnostic..."</em></p><hr/><p>
  <strong>Chapter 23: Matter Over Mind</strong>
</p><p>"...hey. Hey. You there?"</p><p>"Huh?" Pearl asked, snapping out of a daze as she looked around. Her eyes darted around before landing on Mud, who was tapping on her shoulder. "Oh, sorry, do you need something?"</p><p>"Need something? I've been calling to you for the past twenty seconds," Mud said. She paused for a moment, looking right into Pearl's eyes. "Are you... are you still thinking about your mom?"</p><p>"No. Well, yes, but not right then, I..." Pearl took a moment to collect her thoughts. "I had another memory flash. But this one was weird."</p><p>"Weird how?"</p><p>"It... I don't know how to describe it. It was like..." Pearl tried to go through the memory flash she just had, but the details of it were already starting to fade from her mind, leaving only a vague recollection. "I'm... I'm having a hard time remembering, but it feels like I wasn't really me, and there was someone else there, and..."</p><p>"Well, if you can't remember it well, then don't worry. Anyways, you should probably put this on," Mud said, throwing Pearl the cloak she had used before. "We're right outside Seadale, and we probably don't want everyone talking about a robot running around. It'll make it that much easier for Stormy to find us once she comes up here."</p><p>"Okay," Pearl said, nodding as she pulled the cloak over her body. She looked up and saw what looked like stone walls surrounding a tall gate further up the road, which she assumed led into the port town of Seadale. "What are we going to do once we arrive in town?"</p><p>"Well, I'm hoping to pick up some supplies, then grab a ship up to Atlas. The sooner the better; Stormy's gonna have a harder time catching up to us out on the ocean," Mud said as they approached the gate. After a brief back-and-forth between Mud and the guard by the gate, the gate opened, and the two girls were allowed inside. "Already got a place in mind, so just follow me."</p><p>"Wow," Pearl muttered, looking around as the two entered Seadale. Though the street immediately outside the gate was quiet, the area beyond that quickly grew loud and excited. Automobiles ran up and down the street, folks from both Vale and Atlas ran between bustling shops and restaurants, and street stands selling everything from fresh fish to fancy glassware lined the sidewalks. If Pearl had to compare the place to the previous places they visited, it was a lot cleaner than Pike's landing and much livelier than either Arbor or Damstel.</p><p>"What are you standing around for?" Mud said, snapping Pearl out of her stupor before gesturing for Pearl to catch up.</p><p>"Sorry, I just... it's different from anywhere I've been."</p><p>"Well, if you like it here, then you'll definitely like the markets by the docks. A lotta trade in this town goes on down there, so there's a lot of stuff to look at," Mud said. "But I don't really think we have time for sightseeing. Remember, we got Stormy on our tail."</p><p>"Uh, right," Pearl said, and the two girls continued down the road.</p><hr/><p>Pearl watched Mud throw item after item into her shopping basket, going through the shelves at a speed that implied that she knew exactly what she wanted and where it was in the store. Boxes of ammunition, grenades of various shapes and colors, canisters of Dust, and more went into the basket as casually as food being thrown into a mother's shopping cart at a grocery store. Sometimes, Mud would take an item off the shelf - usually some sort of specially-labeled pack of ammunition - and think for a moment before putting it back on the shelf. Then, after a few more minutes of shopping around, she made her way over to the register.</p><p>"That'll be seventy-two ninety," the cashier said as Mud handed over the corresponding amount before taking everything from the shopping basket and dumping it in her backpack. After giving the cashier a nod, she made her way towards the exit, waving for Pearl to follow her.</p><p>"That... that's a lot of ammunition," Pearl said. "Isn't it heavy, just carrying it all around like that?"</p><p>"Eh, you get used to it. And besides, better to be lugging around a bit more ammo that you need than getting caught out without a bullet left against a horde of Grimm or something," Mud said. "Depending on the job, I might have to go weeks without anywhere to resupply."</p><p>"I guess that makes sense," Pearl said. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed a tower down the street, maybe about a block away. It was quite a bit taller than the surrounding buildings, maybe about five stories high, and it bore the trademark insignia of the CCT network. "Oh, Mud? Remember when you said we would try to call Green Ocean once we got CCT reception? I think we should be able to do that here."</p><p>"Huh, I guess we kinda forgot to do that until now," Mud said, pulling out her scroll. She paused for a moment before turning towards Pearl. "What's the number?"</p><p>"Uh... I don't remember. To be honest, I've never really had to call the company very much," Pearl said. "Besides, with a trans-continental call like that, I think you might have to use a CCT facility."</p><p>"Well, there's one up there, right?" Mud said, pointing towards the tower that Pearl had spotted earlier. "Come on, we can look it up there."</p><hr/><p>"Patching you through to Green Ocean Bioinformatics. Please hold..."</p><p>"Huh, I didn't know these places just patched you directly to people," Mud muttered, sitting down in front of the terminal screen as Pearl stood beside her. "Honestly, I've never used one of these, so you might have to help me out here."</p><p>"Sorry, but I have never actually been to a CCT station before. I never really had a reason, and after my mother... well, after that, I never had the means, either," Pearl said. She paused for a moment, then looked up at the screen. "However, I suppose it should not be too different than the devices I've used at home to - "</p><p>"Hello, this is Green Ocean Bioinformatics," A voice suddenly blurted out from the terminal. "My name's Allie. How may I help you?"</p><p>"Uh, hey Allie, I got a question for you," Mud said, leaning in closer to the terminal. "You got someone named Ivan Koschei working there, right? You know how I can get in contact with him?"</p><p>"I'm sorry, our employee records are strictly confidential. If you would like to talk to someone at Green Ocean, please schedule an appointment with us at - "</p><p>"I... this is his daughter, Pearl Koschei. I want to get in contact with my father, please," Pearl interrupted. "I know that employee records should be confidential, but could you make an exception?"</p><p>"..."</p><p>"I know it may be a lot to ask, but - "</p><p>"Connection terminated. If you would like to make another call, please ask a CCT operator for assistance."</p><p>"What, she just hung up on us?" Mud asked. "That's kinda rude. Well, I guess we aren't getting anywhere with that, if they aren't gonna give us anything to go by."</p><p>"Perhaps... perhaps we could try to find something using the CCTNet?" Pearl suggested. "If you'll let me use the terminal, I can access the CCTNet and try to see if his contact information is there."</p><p>"Sure, go ahead," Mud said, standing up and letting Pearl sit down in front of the terminal. After a few keyboard presses and mouse clicks, she brought up the CCTNet browser and searched for a few terms, including her father's name and Green Ocean. A few entries popped up, the most notable of which seemed to be a news article.</p><p>"Let's see, this one is dated about two years back," Pearl muttered, reading over the headline. "Accident destroys Green Ocean facility... head researcher resigns?!"</p><p>"What, you know them?"</p><p>"My father is the head researcher. He has been so for the last three years, but this article says he resigned two years ago. It even mentions him by name, which means..."</p><p>"Means you've missed, what, two years?" Mud said, finishing Pearl's thought. "Either that, or you don't remember that accident or him resigning."</p><p>"My... my most recent memory while I still had a human body was my father helping me transfer myself into this body. We were doing it in a Green Ocean facility. As far as I know, he was still the head researcher at the time," Pearl explained. "And the next thing I knew, I was waking up on the beach with you..."</p><p>"And between those two times, you were drifting in the ocean or something," Mud said. "How did you even end up like that? Where... what happened to you?"</p><p>"I'm sorry, I... I don't know... oh gods, he must be worried sick about me. I've been gone for two years, and he's probably been worried sick looking for me all that time..." Pearl muttered, looking down and away from the screen. "Does he... does he even know I'm alive? First mother, and now father... I'm such a horrible - "</p><p>"Stop," Mud said, shaking Pearl's shoulder. "You're doing it again. Blaming yourself, I mean."</p><p>"I... but..."</p><p>"I don't know how you managed to disappear for two years, but unless you remember otherwise, it's not your fault. You didn't choose to drift across the ocean from Atlas to Vale, right?" Mud asked, and Pearl nodded in response. "So don't worry about it. You'll be back with your dad soon enough; I'll make sure of it."</p><p>"I... okay," Pearl said, looking back towards the terminal screen. She scrolled through the article, scanning for anything that might be useful. "This article seems quite sparse on details... it likely came out just after the accident. All it says is that the facility was destroyed and the head researcher - my father - resigned. There were fatalities from the accident, but it doesn't list how many, or what caused it..."</p><p>"And no contact info, huh?" Mud muttered. "I guess if he doesn't work there anymore, calling the company was useless in the first place."</p><p>"Do you have any other ideas?" Pearl asked, turning towards Mud. "I suppose if we can't contact him from here, our only solution is to just make our way over to - "</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>CRASH!</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>The window behind Mud shattered as she suddenly toppled forward as if punched in the back of the head, crashing down onto the ground next to Pearl. Sticking out of the top of her shoulder was a yellow bolt, which had maneuvered through a gap in her armor and into her flesh.</p><p>"GraaaaaaAAAH!" Mud screamed as sparks of electricity suddenly flared out from the bolt, coursing through her body and causing her muscles to clench and spasm. Pearl froze, watching as Mud's eyes darted wildly about, her pupils dilating rapidly. Then, she closed her eyes and clenched her teeth. When her eyes opened again, they were pained, but focused. "Fuck... shit... paralytic... goddamn..."</p><p>"Wha - what should I do?!" Pearl asked as her headache suddenly slammed into her skull like a truck. Another pained scream rang out, this time from Pearl as she <em>stepped into the room.</em></p><p>"<em>This test will be an assessment of the PETRA's combat ability. Upon the start of the test, the unit is ordered to activate its combat functionalities and dispatch hostile combatants."</em></p><p>
  <em>Directives acknowledged. Awaiting command to start.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The test shall begin in five... four... three... two... one...</em>
</p><p><em>Activating wide-area sensory functions</em>. Scanning for hostile combatants...</p><p>Map of surroundings constructed. Twenty-three individuals in the immediate vicinity. All acknowledged as hostiles. Majority of individuals are unarmed and moving away from this unit; marked as low-threat.</p><p>One hostile on roof of two-story building across street. Sensory functions indicate this individual is carrying a crossbow-type weapon. Marked as high threat. Priority for elimination.</p><p>Query: what is this unit's course of action?</p><p>Proposal: the high-priority hostile has a combat advantage due to its elevation. Therefore, this advantage must be neutralized in order to heighten the chance of successfully taking down the hostile. Scan of surroundings indicates a stairway up to the roof of the building this unit currently resides in.</p><p>Objection: the building this unit currently resides in consists of a single story. Ascending to the roof will not offer a height advantage.</p><p>Observation: the CCT tower connected to this building possesses a maintenance ladder that extends several stories higher. This can be used to procure a height advantage.</p><p>Conclusion: this unit shall establish a height advantage against the high-threat hostile using the CCT tower.</p><p>Unit moves to stairs. Locked door at peak of stairs bars entry to roof. Strength of unit proves sufficient to break lock and force door open, entering roof. High-threat hostile launches high-velocity bolt towards unit. Trajectory fully calculated 16 meters from impact; unit successfully avoids projectile. Unit notes that bolt is filled with lightning Dust and is designed to incapacitate rather than kill. Unit concludes that it is still optimal not to be struck by bolt.</p><p>Hostile fires second bolt. Trajectory fully calculated. Unit ducks beneath second bolt. Moves to base of tower. Leg motors are sufficient to launch unit three stories up tower in order to gain height advantage as previously proposed. Unit latches onto maintenance ladder. Unit charges thermogenic cannon. Target: high-threat hostile with crossbow.</p><p>
  <strong>BWAAAAAAAAAaaaam!</strong>
</p><p>Hostile avoids thermogenic blast. Hole burned in roof of building may impair hostile's movements, but not significantly. Hostile's movements indicate further attempts of attack from this distance would likely be futile.</p><p>Query: what is this unit's course of action?</p><p>Proposal: observations and calculations indicate further attacks from this range have a low chance of success. Therefore, in order to improve this unit's ability to succeed in eliminating the hostile, distance must be minimized. This unit's leg motors are sufficient to launch it onto the roof where the hostile is currently located. As to reduce the chance of taking damage, this unit should launch itself when the hostile launches another crossbow bolt to avoid window of vulnerability due to lack of aerial mobility..</p><p>Proposal accepted. Launch calculations verified. Awaiting attack from hostile...</p><p>Launch of crossbow bolt confirmed. Unit leaps towards roof of building where hostile is located. Error: sudden intense change in wind may cause unit to land in undesirable position. Recalculating...</p><p>Unit hits wall just below edge of roof. While launch power was insufficient to completely clear gap, unit manages to grab edge of roof. Arm motors pull unit up onto roof. Hostile launches crossbow bolt. Trajectory calculated. This unit's current position leaves it unable to completely avoid attack. Bolt hits left hand. Left hand encased in ice.</p><p>Thermogenic cannon charging.</p><p>
  <strong>BWAAAAAAAAAaaaam!</strong>
</p><p>Despite reduction in distance, hostile is still able to barely avoid attack. Use of ranged weaponry may indicate that hostile is weaker in close quarters. Unit unequps thermogenic cannon and prepares to engage in close-quarters combat.</p><p>Unit shatters ice encasing left hand against nearby vent to increase dexterity before closing distance between unit and hostile.</p><p>Hostile attempts to intercept with crossbow bolt. Trajectory calculated; avoided via adjusting unit's path left.</p><p>Hostile removes knife from back of belt. Sensors indicate blade is possibly capable of injuring unit due to high-grade alloy and sharpness. Avoid if possible.</p><p>Distance sufficient for melee combat. Straight jab to hostile's chest.</p><p>Hostile blocks with forearm. Sensors indicate active aura near full.</p><p>Hostile counters with knife towards unit's right shoulder. Unit turns to avoid strike.</p><p>Left kick towards hostile's side. Solid hit, but hostile recovers and grabs leg. Readings indicate more strength than anticipated.</p><p>Hostile uses unit's leg to pull unit onto back. Crossbow aimed towards unit's chest.</p><p>Unit kicks free and sweeps legs towards hostile's ankles. Hostile successfully avoids sweeping kick by jumping away, but forfeits crossbow attack.</p><p>Unit recovers to standing position. Ducks under crossbow bolt. Moves to close distance once again. Previous assumptions of hostile being weaker in close quarters have been discarded.</p><p>Hostile's sight aims past unit's shoulder. Hostile's expression changes. Hostile runs to edge of roof and jumps down to street. Proposal: this unit should give chase.</p><p>Objection: sensors indicate new hostile has appeared on roof behind unit. Hostile is injured, but heavily armed.</p><p>Assessing immediate threat level of new hostile. Threat level: high. Recommend immediate action.</p><p>Proposal: Terminate new hostile.</p><p>Proposal accepted. Commencing -</p><p>"Pearl!"</p><p>Shifting right arm to thermogenic -</p><p>"Pearl!"</p><p>Charging -</p><p>"Pearl, what the hell just happened?"</p><p>"Huh?" Pearl asked, looking around for a moment then back at Mud. She was surprised to find herself on a partially destroyed roof - and yet, as she ran back the last minute in her head, it was crystal-clear what events had transpired that had gotten her there. Up on the roof, with her arm shifted into a cannon, pointed directly at... "What did I... how did I..."</p><p>"One minute I get shot, the next minute you're shooting off like some sorta superhero. Dunno what happened, but I ain't - "</p><p>"Stay away!" Pearl shouted, suddenly backing away from Mud as her arm shifted back to normal. Oh gods, her cannon had been pointed towards Mud. Ready to shoot her down without hesitation. She had thought Mud had been hostile. A threat. "Don't come any closer! S - stay back!"</p><p>"What are you talking about?" Mud asked. "What are you - "</p><p>"Go away! Something - something's wrong. I don't know - something's wrong with me!" Pearl shouted, running away to the edge of the roof. Hiding behind a ventilation unit, she curled up in a ball, holding her trembling right hand as she rocked back and forth. "I was about to - if I had - you would have - I might have - "</p><p>"Hey. I'm not going anywhere," Pearl heard Mud say. She turned to see Mud standing behind her. Mud crouched down, putting her arm on Pearl's shoulder. "I don't know what happened, but... you didn't do anything wrong. Might've done a few things right, actually."</p><p>"What do you - " Pearl said, stopping as she spotted blood dripping down from her shoulder. The crossbow yellow bolt from before was still stuck there. Pearl pulled Mud closer to get a better look at the wound. "Mud, you - you're hurt! You - we need to - "</p><p>"Heh, first you're telling me to stay away, now you're pulling me closer," Mud said with a chuckle. "I'm fine, don't worry. Just need to get this bandaged up later."</p><p>"Sorry, I - I'm just confused, I... I don't know what's happening," Pearl said. "You got shot and knocked down and then something happened inside me and then the next thing I know - "</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>Weeeeewooooooweeeeeeewooooo!</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>"We can talk about it later. Let's go; I'd rather not have to talk with the cops if I can help it," Mud said. Pearl nodded, and the two began towards the stairway leading down from the roof.</p><hr/><p>Following Mud's instructions, Pearl helped Mud wrap the bandages around her shoulder in a way that would keep tight against the wound. Both girls winced slightly as the bandages went over the wound; Mud likely from the pain, and Pearl from imagining the pain Mud was probably feeling. As far as Pearl knew, her own body couldn't feel pain - though that didn't stop her from having pounding headaches on occasions whenever old memories bubbled to the surface.</p><p>"Pull it tight, and... there," Mud said as she secured the bandages. She checked to make sure they would hold in place before turning to Pearl. "Thanks. It's always easier to do that with a helping hand."</p><p>"Uh, sure," Pearl said, looking around. After making their way away from the CCT station, they had holed up in an alleyway near the docks in order to rest and wait for everything to calm down. "Are you sure you'll be alright?"</p><p>"Yeah, like I said, I'm fine. It'll take a bit to heal, but it'll heal," Mud said. She reached down, picking up the yellow crossbow bolt that had been in her shoulder a few minutes ago. "But we've got a bigger problem than that."</p><p>"What... what do you mean?" Pearl asked. "Was... was that from Stormy? Did she catch up to us?"</p><p>"You fought the person who did this, right?" Mud asked, looking up at Pearl. "You remember what they looked like?"</p><p>"They, uh..." Pearl muttered, running back through her memory of the fight. "It was a man. Maybe in his forties, probably around six feet. He had... I think he had short gray hair. And stubble."</p><p>"Tch. I figured as much," Mud muttered. "I got good news and bad news."</p><p>"What is it?"</p><p>"Good news is, it isn't Stormy. Means she hasn't caught up yet, as far as we know," Mud said, turning the crossbow bolt around in her hand. "But the guy you fought? That's Gale. Gale Gunmetal."</p><p>"Gunmetal..." Pearl muttered, thinking for a moment. "That's the same last name that Stormy has. Are they..."</p><p>"Husband and wife. I said Stormy's the leader of the Gunmetal group, but really, they kinda run it together," Mud explained. "And I doubt either of them are working alone. Hiring both of the Gunmetal leaders to retrieve you... someone's paying top dollar to get to you, for some reason."</p><p>"What... what do you mean? I know someone hired Stormy to get me, but..." Pearl paused for a moment. "What about Gale? Stormy seemed very strong, but is there a chance that he..."</p><p>"He's... well, he's good. Really good. But not in the same way Stormy is. Lemme think of a way to put it." Mud said. She left the alleyway silent for a moment as she rubbed her chin. "Let's say you ask both of them to kill a guy who's holed up in a fortified mansion. Stormy would bust her way through the front gate, mow down all the guards, break down the door, and use her gut to figure out which room the guy was in before busting in there and blowing up the guy. Gale would scout the perimeter, make notes on the schedules of the guards and the staff, and take a route through the back to stab the guy in the neck without ever getting spotted. That, or he'd just shoot the guy through the window."</p><p>"So Stormy is good with pure firepower and fighting ability, while Gale specializes in strategy, planning ahead, and executing covert operations," Pearl muttered. "And you say he's as good as Stormy?"</p><p>"I said he doesn't do as much direct fighting, but he didn't get to be one of the best mercenaries around just by sneaking around and planning everything. I've even seen him fuck up a Huntsman or two back when. If he wanted me dead back there, I'd probably be dead. He caught me completely off guard... fucking hell," Mud said. She cleared her throat and spat a glob of saliva towards the ground. "I'm honestly surprised you managed to fend him off. You seemed like... like a different person back there. Like, you knew how to fight, and shit."</p><p>"I'm sorry, I... I don't know what happened. I don't even know if that was me," Pearl said. "I... I just..."</p><p>"Well, what matters is that he's retreated, but not for long," Mud said. "Gale's in Seadale, Stormy's not far behind, and they're both gunning after you. We need to leave as soon as we can."</p><p>"You mean, towards Atlas?" Pearl asked. "How are we getting there? Are we finding a boat, or..."</p><p>"That's the plan. I know a guy who runs a small shipping operation between here and Atlas. Owes me a favor, so I'll ask him to take us up north," Mud said, standing up and slipping her armored jacket back over her shoulder before heading towards the exit of the alleyway. "I don't know what's going on with you, but we don't have any time to waste here. We can worry about what just happened once we're out to sea and safe."</p><p>"Okay."</p><hr/><p>Early afternoon was one of the busiest times of the day for Seadale's docks. It was when workers would get off their lunch break and get back to their jobs, whether they were maintaining ships, loading cargo, logging shipments, or doing whatever other tasks were necessary to process all the business that came to and from the port. Pearl could hardly walk a few steps without nearly bumping into someone rushing off to do who-knows-what. Despite all that, Mud seemed to have no trouble making her way through the crowd, and Pearl was having trouble keeping up.</p><p>"How long will it be until we reach your friend?" Pearl asked, looking around and behind herself. "If Gale ambushes us again, I don't - I don't think I can..."</p><p>"Don't worry, he should be around here somewhere," Mud said, scanning over the crowd as they continued to walk down the docks. Finally, her eyes locked onto something, and her stride became faster and straighter. Pearl followed her to a small cargo ship, maybe a few dozen meters long with its exterior painted blue with a white stripe at the top. Red letters painted into the side of the boat spelled its name in capital letters; SPOONY.</p><p>"The person you were talking about, is this his ship?" Pearl asked. Mud nodded as she grabbed onto a ladder hanging down from the deck, using it to climb up as Pearl followed. As Pearl stepped onto the deck, she saw Mud waving towards a man sitting by the bridge of the ship, slumped back in his chair. He was an older man, probably in his fifties or so, with a somewhat portly figure and a moustache that leaned towards a whiter shade of gray.</p><p>"Hey! Hey!" Mud shouted, but she was only met with the rising and falling of the man's chest as he began to snore. Mud marched closer, climbing the stairs from the deck to the bridge and shaking the man's chair. "HEY! WAKE UP, OLD MAN!"</p><p>"Huh?! Whats'at..." the man muttered as he shook himself awake. His eyes darted around before settling on Mud and Pearl. "Oh, Mud? What in tarnation are you doing here? Haven't seen you since... well, since that thing with the Snaptooth gang."</p><p>"Yeah, good to see you too. Don't have much time to talk, but I wanted to ask you a favor," Mud said, pointing to Pearl and then towards herself. "Can you get us to Atlas? You're headed there already, right?"</p><p>"Well, you caught me at a good time. Cargo's all loaded, and this girl was just about to head up towards Atlas when you came along," The man said, looking over at Pearl then back at Mud. "If you two don't mind doing a little work here and there on the ship, I won't mind giving you a ride."</p><p>"I... I'm not sure how I can help, but I'll do what I can," Pearl said. "Thank you for letting us on your ship."</p><p>"Well, ain't you polite, young lassie. Ain't no harm in doing a favor for a friend, but you're welcome anyways," The man said with a smile. "So, who might you be?"</p><p>"I'm, uh, Pearl."</p><p>"Nice to meet you, Pearl. Call me Charon," the man said, standing up and making his way inside the bridge of the ship. "It'll just be a few minutes, then we'll be headed out. That fine with you two?"</p><p>"Sure, but we're kinda in a hurry," Mud said. "The sooner we're on the ocean, the better."</p><p>"Got it. Dunno what you're up to, but I'll put a little pep in my step," Charon said, closing the door to the bridge. After about a minute of waiting, Pearl felt the ship suddenly lurch beneath her. A constant wind began blowing across the deck as the ship started moving away from the docks, slowly at first but gradually picking up speed as Seadale pulled further and further away. After a few minutes, it wasn't much more than a blotch of buildings and concrete against Vale's coastline.</p><p>And on the opposite side of the ship, far across the ocean, was Atlas. Where her father was waiting.</p><p>"I'm coming home, father."</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>And that's chapter 23! It looks like both of the Gunmetals are on their tale now, and Pearl's been gone a little longer than she knew. What's up with her, anyways? And what awaits them on the other side of the ocean?</p><p>Anyways, thanks for reading, and if you've got anything at all to say, PLEASE don't hesitate to leave a comment down below! I'd appreciate any feedback, questions, or anything else you have. With all that said, have a nice day!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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